The Breakfast Club:The Aftermath
by Nessie Carlie Salvatore
Summary: What happened to the gang after that fateful Saturday...  I OWN NOTHING
1. Chapter 1

_MONDAY_  
**EPOV**  
"Have a good day." My dad, John, said when he dropped me off Monday morning. He was apprehensive about me going anywhere since he'd seen me kiss Damon on Saturday.

"Okay, bye Dad." I closed the door and he drove off. I walked to my group of friends and we walked into the school. I would have went to find Damon but I didn't know where to look. I'd never really seen him around before.

We all stopped at my locker, everyone chatting about how their weekends had been.

"what about you, Lena?" Erin asked.

"Um, well..." I was thinking of a way to phrase my answer when my locker door slammed shut. I turned around to yell at whoever had done it, and met a pair of bright blue eyes.

Over Damon shoulder I saw looks of disgust on my friends faces. I knew they didn't like guys like him, which was going to make this all the more fun. I smiled at the thought and pulled him down to my lips.

"Morning, Princess." He said, smirking.

"Don't call me that." I snapped.

"Okay." He said, grabbing my hand. He turned around and we met the angry faces of my friends.

"Good morning, ladies." Damon said with a fake smile. He reached over and took my bag from Erin's arm and held onto it.

"Come on." He said, tugging on my hand. I looked at my friends, whose disgust changed to shock. I smiled and waved then walked off with Damon.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"We're going to meet my friends, then I'm walking you to English." He said.

"How'd you know I had English first?" I asked, almost scared.

"Because I have English first."

"We have English together?" How had I not seen _HIM_?

"And French...and History."

"How did I not know?"

"I'm in the back. I'm always in class early. I can't afford to fail if I'm ever gonna get out of here."

"What do you want to do after you graduate?"

"I wanna move to New York, open a record store..." He shrugged. "I'm eighteen, I can break into my trust fund whenever..."

"Wow..." That was all I knew to say. I didn't know that much about music or New York.

"CHARLIE!" A guy yelled from a picnic table outside.

"JAY-DOG!" Damon yelled back. They got a few weird looks, but that was all.

"Elena, these are guys. Guys, Elena." He said dropping my hand and taking his seat. I saw two girls out of the group looking at me with cold eyes, everyone else seemed fine with me.

'She's hot, Charlie." The one he called Jay-Dog said.

"I know." Damon smiled at me.

"You can come closer." A blond boy said. "We don't bite...much."

"Shut up." Damon said. "Yeah, Elena, come up here, sit with me." I hesitated, but sat next to him, keeping close, just in case.

"Here you go, Man." The blond said, passing Damon a joint. He took a drag off of it, and handed it toward me.

"No thanks." I said. He shrugged and handed it to one of the girls. He got it two or three more times before the bell rang and they all went their seprate ways.

"Damon..." I started slowly as we started toward our class.

"Hm?"

"I think you should stop smoking..." I said quickly. He stopped for a second, sighed. put his arm around my shoulder and started again.

"I know. But, I don't want to."

"I just think it would be easier for my parents to accept you if you didn't."

"Well, Babe, I'm not gonna walk up to your dad and ask him if I can light up." He said. "I haven't lost _tha_t many brain cells."

Shut up." I said, but couldn't help but smile.

* * *

"Why do your friends call you Charlie?" I asked Damon as we walked to his lunch table.

"You don't listen to Hollywood Undead, do you?"

"No."

"Then you wouldn't get it."

We got to the table, but before I even got to sit down the girls, Vicki and Anna, Got up.

"Bathroom." Anna said, pushing me to go. I looked at Damon for help, but he was talking someone else.

Vicki and Anna shoved me into the bathroom and closed the door, standing in front of it so I couldn't get out.

"What do you want from him?"

"Who?"

"Damon."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said. Vicki scoffed and sat on the counter where the sinks were.

"Please, like one of _you_ would date one of _us_ just to be a couple. Are you tryoing to make an ex jealous? Scare your parents to geta new car?"

"No!"

"Then why?"

"Because I like him!"

"Right." Anna said. "You can lie to the guys, but not to us. If you hurt him, you're going down, honey. He's already been through enough hell to last two lifetimes and he only turned eightteen three weeks ago."

"Look, I don't plan to hurt him. I really like him." They looked at me for a long time, then looked at each other, then back at me.

"Okay. We'll trust you. Don't make us regent it." They opened the door to walk out, and walked right into Erin and KC.

"Elena!" They exclaimed. Well, I wasn't getting out anytime soon.

"Who is that guy?" Erin asked.

"Damon Salvatore." I sighed, sitting where Vicki had been.

"How old is he?"

"Eighteen."

"Where'd you meet him? Where does he live? Who's-"

"Guys!" I said. "Chill. What is wrong with you?"

"Elena, you made-out with a stoner in the hallway, right in front of us! We didn't even know you had a boyfriend! You are dating right?"

"Since Saturday."

"Spill." KC said, speaking for the first time, and tossing her heavy dark hair over her shoulder.

"Well, When Caroline, Bonnie and I had detention last Saturday, he was there-"

"Shocker."

"Shut-up! Things happened and we ended up going out that night."

"Where'd you go?" Erin asked.

"We saw a movie and went to McDonald's."

"He didn't even buy you a decent dinner?"

"_I_ wanted to go to McDonalds, just so you know!" I snapped. "He would have taken me anywhere."

"What did you go see?" KC asked, rolling her eyes at Erin.

'We caught some weird movie with Bonnie and Jeremy. I think it was called the Room Mate..."

"Who's Jeremy!"

"Ask Bonnie. Look, I've gotta go. I'll see you later." I shoved past them and found my way back to Damon.

"Took you long enough." He said playfully.

"Erin and KC caught me." I said. "I don't want to know how bad it's going to be a practice today."

"Well...you could play hooky on being a cheerleader today and come hang out with me..."

"Really?"

"Sure."

"Thank you. You're so saving my life."

He smiled and offered and apple to me. I took it, smiling back."

* * *

"_This_ is your house?" I asked, when he opened to door of his black Mustang for me.

"Yup." He said, leading me up to the door. "You hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Just drop your bag anywhere. Don't worry, Chester won't chew it up."

"Chester?"

"My dog. He's in his teething stage now, but he likes my dads shoes better."

"Is that really smart?" I asked, remembering the burn mark on his arm.

"He won't care. Do you like Ramon Noddles?"

"Love them." He picked me up and threw my over his shoulder.

"Damon, put me down!" I squealed.

"I will." He said. A moment later I was sitting on a counter.

"I have legs!"I snapped.

"I know he answered, squeezing my calf quickly and then fixing two bowls of Noddles and putting them in the microwave.

"Now, we're all alone in very big house. What should we do?"

"I don''t know."

"I do." He said quietly, walking in between my legs and pressing his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. He licked my lips, and I let him in eagerly. He tasted sexy...but some how sweet. For some reason he reminded me of dark chocolate and strawberries.

"Elena." He said, breaking away from me. "I can't-"

His word were cut off by a shrill beep from the microwave. He went and got our food and I hopped off the bar. We ate in an awkward, but somehow comfortable silence.


	2. Chapter 2

_I'll be switching POV's in this chapter, fair warning._

* * *

**_TUESDAY_**

**DPOV**

I woke up to my alarm blasting at me from my dresser, which was across the room. _I really shouldn't get high on school nights..._

I groaned and got up to turn it off. It was too fuckin' early! School should start at, like, 12pm and end at 2pm. That would be perfect.

I grabbed some pants and got in the shower, trying to wake up. I was never up this morning, and wouldn't be if it weren't for Elena.

I almost told her no after meeting her parents.

I knew her dad was going to hate me, all dads hate their girls boyfriends, it's normal. But her mom didn't like me either.

When I shook her dad's hand, I could see him studying the scars and cuts on my arms. And her mom was holding onto every word I said so she gossip about it later.

I got out of the shower and dried myself, thinking about sitting through breakfast with the two of them. They hated me more than they hated each other at least. I put my pants on(Anna called me gay because I liked pants that were_ a little _tight...Okay a lot tight but still) and fond a white T-Shirt in my closet. Huh, white? That was sure out of place.

I grabbed my leather jacket, my wallet, my smokes, my lighter and my phone and went down stairs. Nana was already up, which was normal.

She's not _really _my grandmother, but she's been working for my family since before my dad was born, and she raised me so...Nana.

"Good morning." I said, opening the refrigerator and grabbing the orange juice.

"Good morning, Baby. Oh, don't do that!" She said, catching me drinking from the carton.

"Sorry, Nana..." I said putting back.

"What are you doing up so early? I usually have to half drag you down the stairs, which is becoming quiet a job now a days."

"Yeah..." I said smiling and patting my abs. "I'm a fat kid."

"You seem a lot happier since Saturday..."

"I am."

"Well, it's been a long time coming." She smiled knowingly at me. "So, what's her name?"

"How'd you know it was girl?"

"Honey, I've been around for a long time, I know what makes a man smile. And you have that same goofy grin your father wore when-" She stopped short and frowned.

"When my mother was still around?" I sighed.

"Yes..."

"She's left because of me, didn't she? That's why Dad hates me so much?"

"He doesn't hate you, Sweetie!"

"Yes, he does. I'm going to head out early. I love you, have a good day." I said, kissing her cheek.

"You, too." She said. "Tell the boys I said hello."

"Yes, ma'am." Another reason I loved her, she loved my friends.

I walked into the garage and turned on the light. A sleepy bark came from corner where Chester slept. He would be in my room if Nana wasn't so persistent that he be house trained first.

"I know, it's early for me too." He sneezed at me and buried his face beneath his legs. He was a multi-colored beagle, just old enough to be away from his mother and was perfect for me.

I looked at my cars and started to decide what to drive today. I had two Mustangs(a new black one and a red 69 model.) A dark blue Dodge Challenger and a 69 Camero.

I grabbed the Camero keys, got HU CD out of the Mustang and headed over to Elena's.

* * *

"Katherine's coming home tonight." Elena said when I'd parked next to Stefan's Austin Martin(I hated him for getting that car when Grandpa died, I loved it.) "My parents want you to come out to dinner with us."

"Because breakfast wasn't awkward enough?"

"And they'll want to go to your place afterwards. I told them your dad wasn't there, but they were too busy fighting to bother listening to me..."

"That's what I'm here for, Babe." She smiled.

"I'm glad. Come on, it time for you to meet my friends." I groaned.

"Do I _have_ too?"

"Yes." She kissed me and got out of car.  
_** *~*~*~*~*~*~***_

"What's your full name?" Erin asked me. I was leaned against Elena's locker, and her friends were in a half circle around me.

"Why does that matter?"

"She gonna Google you." Tyler said, from his spot next to Caroline. "They caught Jer after school yesterday. Poor kid was horrified."

'Well, I have nothing to hide, so there's no need for that one."

"Are you a virgin?" Erin asked, trying to be a smart-ass.

"No. I thought that one went without saying."

"What do you want to do when you graduate?" KC, who was the nicest one, asked.

"Open a record store in New York."

"Why so far away?"

"Cause I hate this town." I snapped at Erin. She was starting to piss me off.

"Well it hates you too!"

"What kind of music do you like?" Kc said.

"Classic and New Age rock. Alternative. Rap and a little Country."

"Movies?"

"Classics. 80's Teen Movies. Horror movies. Comedies. I'll watch nearly anything, really."

Well," Erin said after a few more questions. "I think it's safe to say that Elena shouldn't be with him."

"I like him!" KC retaliated.

"Well," Erin said, looking at the rest of them. "Decide. Right now!"

"What?" I asked, looking down at Elena.

"They're deciding if I should be with you or not." I gripped her hand tighter when she said and closed my eyes.

"Well," Erin said, and I could hear the smirk in her voice. That was it, she'd won. "Elena, go ahead."

I looked down at her and she sighed.

"I'm sorry..." I felt my heart drop, she was actually going to do it. We were done.

"Erin, I can't be your friend anymore. Not until you can learn to except my boyfriend. That goes for _all of you_."

"Well." Erin said after a few minutes. "I never like you anyway. Let's go!" She flipped her short blond hair away from her eyes and stalked off.

"She," I said, pulling Elena closer to me when the bell rang. "Is a bitch."

"She really, really is." She said, wrapping her arm around my waist. "I really do like you, you know. You're good for me."

"But I'm no where near good enough."

* * *

"Where were you at lunch today?" Jay asked as we walked into the weight room after school. Elena had cheer leading practice, and I needed a work out anyway.

"With Elena's friends. Spot me?" I asked.

"Sure." He stood above me while I started lifting the weights. "So what were they like?"

"Not like we thought. Some of them were, but most of them accepted me."

"Were they hot?"

"The girls were."

"Single?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure none of them would wanna date a fag like you." I joked.

"I'm not a fag."

'I know. But you see, these girls like guys with big co-"

"Then why is Elena with you?"

"-cks." I finished. "You can't cut me off. And, as for Elena, You know how it is." I smirked up at him.

"No, I don't. You hide it the bathroom when you take a piss."

"No, I just don't like fags like you staring at my dick."

"Can't stare if there's nothing to see." He said. "Are we still on for tonight?"

"Oh, fuck!" I said, putting the weights down and siting up. "I forgot it was dudes night! I have a dinner tonight with Elena's parents."

"Cancel."

"I can't." I said. I loked down at the floor. "Katherine's coming home."

"You're _**not**_ going then!" He said.

"I _have_ to." I sighed. "It'll look bad if I back out. Her dad already hates me enough as is. And no one but you guys, my new friends, and her and her friends even know I know her!"

"Are you okay with this?" He asked.

"Adam," I said using his real name for the first time in years. "I'm fine. I had a hard time, but I'm good now."

He reached out and grabbed my wrist. Oh _FUCK!_

"Yeah." He said dropping my arm. "You're just fuckin' _perfect_!"

"The new ones have nothing to do with her!"

"Then What, Damon?"

"My dad called last night."

* * *

**EPOV**

"So, who's the mystery guy that Mom's been gushing about?" Katherine asked, brushing out her long curls. We'd both taken early showers so we could hang out tonight before dinner.

"You meeting him in two hours, Kat." I said, from place on her bed. I'd always been close to her, I just hoped my relationship with Damon wouldn't ruin that.

"But _I'm_ your best friend and your favorite sister, so spill!"

"Nope. you can wait!"

"At least tell me his name."

"No."

"What's like?"

"He's sweet. He's understanding. He listens to me..."

"Are you dating a gay guy?"

"Defiantly not!" I said. "At least he wasn't when we made out yesterday."

"Oh, really! Well, Dad hates him..."

"Yup."

"I'm so proud of you." She said laughing.

"I'm going to get dressed I want to look good tonight."

"Wear the purple dress I got you! It makes you look sexy!"

"Everything makes me look sexy!" She laughed again and went into my room.

"Elena!" Dada called. "Your..._boyfriend's_ here." I looked in the mirror one last time and smiled.

Katherine was right. The purple dress did make me look hot. I picked up the purple heels I planed to wear tonight, knowing I was going to be fight Kat for the stairs.

I closed my bedroom door behind me the same time Katherine closed heres, I noticed she was dress like slut-

Wait, Did I just think that? She was wearing exactly what was, only in blue. It must have just been the fact she'd _been with_ Damon before.

We ran for the stairs, pushing and shoving the whole way down. I ran faster though, cause I was bare foot. I found Damon talking to my Dad in the den and jumped on him, making him spin around so that he no longer facing the stairs.

"Whoa!" Dad said. "Where's the fire?"

"Behind her." Katherine said. "Now let me see him."

Damon smiled down at me and turned us both around.

* * *

**KPOV **

"Behind her." I said, trying to catch my breath and fix my hair. I could tell he was from just from looking at his back. He was tall, had dark brown hair, and a nice ass.

_Just like-_

"Now let me see" The guy turned around and I felt my eyes widen.

_Damon_.

* * *

**AN!**

**I want to say, I know I made a lot gay references in this chapter, and I have NO PROBLEM with gay people. My best friend is gay, so I'm VERY VERY sorry if that offended someone!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**TUESDAY NIGHT**_

**EPOV**

"Why don't we just take Damon's car?" I asked, trying to end my parent arguement.

"Uh...yeah, there should be enough room for everyone." He said.

"As long as I don't have to sit next to him!" Mom said, storming into the kitchen.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Dad, who had taken a shining to Damon, asked.

"Not at all."

"What kind of car do you have?"

"69 Mustang, tonight. Restored it myself." He said.

"How's it run?"

"Like a dream. You wanna take a look?"

"If you wouldn't mind..."

"Come on." Damon let me go and he and Dad disappeared outside.

"Damon Salvatore?" Katherine asked in a shocked whisper. "You're dating Damon Salvatore!"

"Yeah."

"No. Elena you can't be with him! He's bad news! He's a cutter, a stoner, a-"

"I know Katherine. I also know that you broke his heart last year. You're not going tell me anything that will suprise me."

"You're breaking up with him, Elena! You go do it right now!"

"No! I like him, Kat, No matter what you, or Mom, or Dad, or anyone else thinks or says. He's different than the others." At that Katherine laughed.

"No, he really isn't. Alright, Elena, Go ahead. Date Damon. But don't coming crying to me when he dumps you."

"He won't-"

"Oh, he will. He will if you keep on acting like Elena, anyway."

"What?"

"If you keep on walking around with your little holier-than-thou attitude. No sex, no drugs, no alcohol and so on, Damon will get bored with you.I had him first Elena. I know what he likes and how he likes it. He'll come crawling back to me one day. And I'll accept him." With that said, she turned on her stiletto heel and followed Mom into the kitchen.

* * *

**CPOV**  
I watched Tyler disappear into the crowd to the bathroom, smiling.

"So, you two are officially on again?" Matt asked, sitting where Tyler had been.

"Yeah." I said.

"And Elena's still with Damon?"

"Dinner with John and Isobel tonight." I said, poking at the ice in my glass with my straw. Everyone knew I only did that when I uncomfortable or nervous.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Matt, it's no secret that you still like Elena, I just don't feel comfortable telling you about her and Damon."

"I don't...I just...He's not a good guy, Care. You know it, too!"

"Matt, you saw how much he cared for Stefan on Saturday. Just because he does drugs and is kind of a man whore, doesn't mean he doesn't have a heart."

"Kind of a man whore? Care, he's probably slept with half the female population of Mystic Falls!"

"And it's not your business!" I snapped. "Elena's my best friend, and I'm supporting her in whatever she wants!"

"Fine." He snapped back, getting up. He walked away as Ty took his seat.

"What was that about?"

"Mattie just wants to play jealous ex-boyfriend tonight."

"Oh."

"Look, Tyler...I don't want to play this on-again, off-again game anymore. Do you want to be with me or not?"

"I do." He said, grabbing my hand. "You know I do! I just...My dad..."

"If you let you dad make all your decisions, you're going to have a miserable life."

"I know." Was all he said.

"I think, we -me you and our parents- should do dinner. Like Damon and Elena."

"I think that's a good idea."

* * *

**BPOV**  
"How can you listen to this everyday?" I yelled over the loud music at Jeremy.

"What?"

"I said-! Oh, just forget it!"

"Yea, it's great isn't it?"

"What?" He laughed and started dancing with the crowd.

* * *

"Despite the fact I can barely hear," I said on the short walk back to my house, "I had a lot fun."

"I did, too." He said, distantly. I looked up at him, but he was starring straight in front of him.

"Are you okay?" asked, shaking our intertwined hands.

"Yeah, just thinking."

"What about?" He looked down at me.

"Damon asked me if I wanted to go to a concert with him Stefan this weekend...I'm not sure I wanna go, though."

"Why not?"

"Well..." He said, "What if I go, and they leave me there?" I laughed.

"Do you really think that they- Do you think that Stefan would let Damon do that?" I rephrased my question.

"I guess not...but I don't wanna just go...It's Damon's friends, too. I know two or three of them, just Anna and Vicki mainly, but I'd feel awkward with the rest of them."

"Who are Anna and Vicki?"

"Just some girls I used to get high with. They're better friends with Damon."

"Mm-hm." I said, making a mental note to get some information on those two for Elena.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

* * *

**GPOV**  
I walked into my house for the first time since Sara left me, completely sober.

"Guiseppe!" Nettie, Nana to Damon, said embracing me.

"Nettie, you look fantastic." I said, putting on my good guy act. "Where's Damon?"

"Oh, he had another engagement tonight. A dinner with his girlfriends family. But I think they're dropping by here afterwards."

"Good, good." I looked around the den, and a picture caught my eye.

"Is this him." I asked walking over to it.

"That's him." She said. "He's not a seven year old child anymore, is he?"

"Has it been that long?" I asked.

"He turned eighteen two weeks ago." I studied the dark hair and bright blue eyes that really meant nothing to me.

"That was taken last year. He had such a hard time last year..."

"What happened last year?"

"I don't know. He won't tell me. I almost forced it out of him after his suicide binge."

"Suicide?"

"He think you hate him, Guiseppe." She said, changing the subject, quickly.

I didn't answer her. Maybe the kid was smarter than I thought.

"Do you want some dinner?"

"No, no I think I'll go out tonight. But I want to see his room."

"It hasn't moved. But, fair warning, I haven't stepped foot in there since I made him start washing his own sheets and cleaning his own shower. And the door maybe locked."

"Alright." I shuttered to think of what my son may have laying in his floor. I walked up to third floor of the house and to Damon's door. I never did find out why he wanted to be so secluded from the rest of us, but as long as I didn't see him, I didn't care.

I took a deep breath and tried the door. It swung open easily.

Damon's floor was spotless. No clothes, no trash, nothing. His bed was made perfectly, his CD's, books, and movies all sorted out in his own specific order. OCD much? Hell, he probably was, the kid had always been fucked up.

There were a few pictures of him and few of his friends on his mirror, and an open journal lay on his desk. Maybe that would hold the answer to this suicide question. I flipped it to the front page, but he had started this one on his birthday. I look at his book case and found where he put them.

I pulled one with a picture of six mask drawn(probably by him) across the front. I flipped through it and found it was the one I wanted.

_1/13/10_  
_She's gone. It's over. That was all she said. It's over. With those two words she ripped my heart out of my chest, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, and spit onb the remains._

_Well, maybe that's a little over the top, but that's what it felt like. Is that really what love's all about? Is that why my father is the way he is?_  
_Why does life have to be so fucked up?_

The entry ended there, but the bottom of the page was stained with drops of blood and what I guess were tears.

It does always come down to a woman doesn't it?


	4. Chapter 4

**TUESDAY NIGHT**  
**EPOV**

"So," Katherine started as our dessert arrived. "How did you two meet?"

"Um...Saturday detention..." I said, taking a bite of my cake. Damon didn't have any desert. so he drank some of his wine. I hoped he didn't start drinking a lot now that she was back.

"How did you get detention?" She said, looking concerned.

"I skipped a class and Damon pulled a false alarm." I said, shrugging.

"Oh, you didn't get caught with drugs again?" My parents choked on their food and looked at him.

"Drugs?"

"I've been known to have them." He said.

"You said again, Katherine?" My mom said. "How did you know he's been caught before."

"I saw in Mr. Tanners office three or four times last year when I volunteered in the office." Good lie, Katherine volunteered in a Drama class last year.

"What kind of drugs?"

"John!"

"Don't act like you don't want to know!"

"Just weed, really." Damon said, finishing off his wine. "And alcohol, if I'm staying in for the night."

My parents looked down at their plates and started eating again. Katherine smirked at me and started eating, too. Damon squeezed my hand under the table.

I'll go take of this check and we'll head out." Dad said, getting up.

"So, Damon-" My mom started.

"Can you hold that thought?" He asked, pulling out his phone. "I have to take this. Family thing."

"Oh. Then go ahead." He got up and walked towards the mens room.

"I don't like him." My mother said, shaking her head. "I don't want you seeing him anymore!"

"Because if something Katherine said?"

"Because of something he admitted. And he was enjoying that wine too much for my taste. You're not going to see him anymore!"

"No." I said.

"Excuse me?" Mom asked.

"I said no!" I said, back. "I really like Damon, and I'm not dumping him because you're telling me to."

"I am your mother and you'll do what I say."

"Not this time." I said. Damon and my dad came back at the same time.

"Here." Damon said, giving me his jacket. "It's cold outside." I took it and smiled. It was warm and smelled like him.

"Elena," Damon said, holding me back as the others went on outside. "You guys can't come by the house tonight."

"Why?"

"Nana's not feeling well." He said. "She doesn't want company tonight." I nodded.

"You look good in my clothes, I'll have to keep that in mind."He said, pulling me to him. He didn't seem to care that we were standing in a crowded restaurant, he justed wanted me.

He pressed his lips to mine and sighed softly.

"I lo...I really like you, Elena." He whispered, changing his statement half way through. I wish he hadn't. I wanted him to tell me what he was thinking.

"I like you, too, Damon."

"We should get going, before your sister freezes to death." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we left.

* * *

**DPOV**

"Would you two hurry up!" Katherine said. "It's cold!"

"Then put some fucking clothes on." I muttered, unlocking the door. She climbed in with the rest of them.

We drove in silence until I dropped them off.

"I'll call you later." I said, kissing Elena goodnight. She pulled me back to her and kissed me again. Then let my jacket slide off her shoulders.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" I nodded. "Goodnight, Damon." She went inside and I went back to my car.

I didn't want Elena to know that my father was back in town. I knew she'd worry too much.

I drove home, hoping he'd be late.

* * *

**GPOV**

I sat at the bar, talking with Richard Tanner.

"You have a horrible kid you know, to be such a good guy. All he does is cause trouble at my school and I don't like it!"

"I wouldn't either." I said. I always knew that he'd grow up to cause trouble. He was no good.

"I'll take care him." I promised, and downed my fifth drink.


	5. Chapter 5

**DPOV**  
I drove home slowly. I really didn't feel safe with my dad back, but I wasn't going to tell anyone that. Hell, I'd kept the whole abuse thing from everyone I could. Katherine, my friends, Elena, and Alaric knew. J told me to stay over at his place, but I'd turned him down. I was older now. My dad hadn't been home in months and I was working out a lot more.

I pulled into the drive way and sighed heavily. There was no avoiding this. I got out of the car and Chester attacked my legs.

"Hey bud." I smiled and bent down to pick him up. "What are you doing outside? You'll freeze." I carried him inside with me and up to my room.

"I only need a second. Don't tear anything up." I said, putting him down and walking into my closet. I put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, glad to be out of that suit. I hated dressing up. I came out of my closet and was about to pick Chester up, when I spotted a journal on my desk that didn't belong there. I picked it up, reading the page that it had been left on. The entry about me and Katherine's break up.

_Fuck_. Now either my dad or Nana knew about it. Great.

"Come on, Buddy." I sighed, putting it back where it belonged and turning to Chester. "Let's go before Nana has a fit." Picked him up and carried him to the basement. I put him back down and he started running around like crazy. I smiled and sat down. Nothing to do now but wait for him to get home and pray that he doesn't mess me up too much.

* * *

The next thing I remember is that I'm being woken up by my head hitting the floor. Hard.

"Get up!" I heard my dad slur.

"You could've just pushed my shoulder. I would've woke right up." I yawned, then felt his knuckles connect with my head.

"Don't talk back to me, get up." I groaned but stood.

"Look, if you wanna do something, just do it. I'll give you a freebie tonight because I'm too damn tired to fight you." I lied, wanting to see what he would do.

He threw his fist out and I caught it.

"Fail." I said, dropping it. He frown then smiled. Then kicked me in the shin. That I didn't think of.

He beat the fuck out of me after that.

"Get out of my sight!" He spat. I tried, but I couldn't get up. He sighed and helped me up. "Now go!"

I staggered to my room and fell into my bed, not caring how bad I looked. I could cover it up later.

It took me a while to fall asleep, since every part of me was bruised. But I managed. I always did.

The next morning, when I really did look in the mirror, it was bad on my torso and legs, but that was fine. I had a black eye, but I'd just hide behind my sunglasses, I pretended to be asleep in all my classes anyway. At least the sun was really out.

I put on a long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants, then put a smoke between my lips, ready to light it when I got outside.

I ran downstairs and past the kitchen.

"I made pancakes!" Nana said. I grabbed the door frame to stop myself and looked at her through my dark glasses.

"I'll just grab something on the way." I said, starting to again.

"Hey!"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you leaving so early?"

"Gotta make up a test. Bye, love you." I was gone before she could say something else.

* * *

**AlaricPOV**

The day was finally over. Thank God. I'd gotten tired of some the kids in my classes. Chris and Dylan acted like they were five, Kasey couldn't be quiet long enough to learn anything and Sam and Logan? Don't even get me started. The highlight of my day was always Damon, but was out of it today.

He'd come in with sunglasses on, holding Elena's hand, she even looked worried, but said nothing. He'd sat down, but didn't take the glasses off. He'd just laid his head down and _'Went to sleep'_.

The bell rang, cutting off my lesson on the Battle of Willow Creek.

"Have a good day you guys. Damon, can see you for a second?" He let go of Elena's hand and nodded towards the door.

"No, Elena, I want you to stay. Adam, you too." J stopped half way out the door and looked back.

"My names not Adam..."

"Adam, J-Dog, whatever, just come here. And close the door." He did as he was told, and we were alone.

"Take the glasses off Damon." I said.

"Why?"

"Because I told you to, now do it."

"No."

"Damon, just do it." Adam said. "I wanna go home."

"I don't want to take my glasses off and I don't have to."

"I'll take them off of you myself." I threatened. He looked down and pulled them off. Elena gasped seeing the dark bruise covering his eye.

"It's nothing." He shrugged. Adam shifted uncomfortably.

"What happened, Damon?" I asked.

"Nothing. I fell at the house last night. That'll teach me to climb the stairs half asleep."

"Adam," I addressed Damon's best friend making him jump. "Do you believe him?"

"Uh...yeah." He said. "Happens to me all the time."

"Elena?"

"I...don't know."

"I don't believe it." I said. "I know your dad's back, Damon. I saw him at the bar last night. And I know he did this."

"No, he didn't." He snapped at me.

"Don't lie to me!" I said, louder than I should have. Damon relented and nodded.

"Okay. Okay fine! He did! And asked for it alright? I dared him to."

"But he didn't have to do it!" I said. "I think...you should come stay at my place for a while."

"No." He said. "I'm not some weak kid anymore. I can handle myself."

"That bruise proves you can't."

"Can we go?" He asked. I nodded.

"I'll talk to you later." I said.

"Whatever." He muttered and they all left. I walked down to the office and picked up a phone.

"Hello, Mr. Salvatore? Alaric Saltzman, your son's History teacher. I was wondering if you could meet me for lunch sometime so we can discuss Damon's grades? Very good. I'll see you in a few hours. Bye." I hung up and walked out to my car. I'd come to think of Damon like son, not a student. And_ no one_ messes with my son.


	6. Chapter 6

**DPOV**  
I sat in the circle with all the others, listening to Trevor talk.

"My parents just don't get, you know. They want me to stop, but then they'll do something to me and make me start again." He said, snapping a rubber band against his wrist.

"Have you talked to your parents about this?" Our leader, Klaus, asked. He was good, considering what he'd been through. Klaus had been a druggie and an alcoholic before he went on a killing spree in New York. He went to jail, found God, got out on good behavior and started this group.

"I tried to! But they won't listen!"

"Well, you have to make them."

"How?"

"Stay after for a few minutes and I'll give you some tips, we're running out f time and want to get to everyone, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Damon, how about you?" I sighed and flipped my wrist.

"I see. What happened?"

"Well, I was doing good. Saturday, I had detention, you know and I met a girl. We're together ow and I made new friends like you said to, and everything was great."

"That's good." He smiled. "But then, why are you still cutting?"

"My dad's back in town." He frowned again.

"Do you want me to call-"

"No!" I said too quickly. "I mean, no, thank you sir. I'll handle it. I'm just...I don't fel safe yet."

"I understand. Well, you have my number if you need me right?"

"Yeah...and I think I'm gonna stay with my Cousin or my teacher until he's gone again."

"Good. Alright guys, we're done for the night. Keep up the good work and I'll see you all next week."

"Damon!" I heard a girl call after me as I walked to my car. Damn. I was hoping to get away from her.

"Yes, Rose." I asked turning around. I like Rose, she was nice. But she was clingy. We'd fooled around a few times and she thought that meant we were together.

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Uh...yeah. Look, I'm sorry. This was just...one those moments that I couldn't let slip."

"No. I understand. We weren't anything serious. And you know me and Trevor."

"You guys are on again, then?" She nodded.

"I'm sorry about your dad being back. I know how you feel about him."

"Thanks. I really gotta go though, I'm hanging out wit Stefan tonight." She nodded and then ran off, going to meet Trevor.

I got in the car and started towards Stefan's.

* * *

**APOV**  
I pulled into the Grill, where I was meeting with Damon's dad, when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ric." Jenna said.

"Hey, babe. Look, I'm kinda busy right now, can I call you later?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking care of problem, I'll be over there as soon as I'm done." She sighed.

"Don't. I need to go to bed. Big meeting tomorrow."

"Jenna don't-" She hung up. I groaned in frustration and turned the phone off. I didn't need it ringing while I did this. I grabbed the file I'd brought with me and went inside.

"Mr. Salvatore?" I asked a man I'd never seen before, he turned around.

"Yes."

"Hello, I'm Alaric Saltzman, Your sons teacher. We spoke earlier."

"Ah, yes." He smiled. He must have thought that was going to give him some bad news.

"Can we grab a table?" I asked. He nodded, ordered another drink and we sat down.

"So, how badly is my son failing?" He asked. I handed him the file.

"These are the last couple of test he;'s taken in my class and a few from some other teachers, too." He opened, flipped through the papers, then closed it again.

"These are fake." He said flatly.

"No, sir. Those are completely real. Damon is the brightest student I've ever had."

"Uh-huh." He said. "Strange how I don't see it."

"Then you're blind." I said.

"Excuse me?"

"If you can't see the potential that he has, you have to be. Damon has an amazing mind."

"He's a dumb teenager who doesn't know what he's doing!"

"He knows. Trust me. Look." I said, taking the file. "This was his last English paper. I think you should read it." He took it, folded it, and put it in his pocket.

"Are we done here then Mr. Saltzman?"

"Almost." I said. I leaned forward in my seat so I close enough to whisper to him.

"Damon's a good kid, Mr. Salvatore. I like him, we're good friends, hell we might as well be family. So I'm going to say this once, and you'd better listen! If you touch him one more time, I'm coming for you. If he has a bruise, you'll get a cut. If he has a limp, you'll get a broken we clear?"

He started to get up but I stopped him.

"I said are we clear?" He nodded and started again.

"Damon will be staying with me and Stefan until you're gone, by the way." He gave me a look, but took off like a bat out of hell.

I leaned back in my seat and sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

**Adam'sPOV**  
I was making my way to Stefan's to hang out with him and Damon. We were having our guys night tonight, which meant I had to cancel my plans with Anna and drive across town, but I didn't mind.

"Damn it." I muttered, when I dropped my phone. Nothing was coming so I bent down to pick it up.

"Gottcha! Fuck!" I hit a bump and the phone slipped from my grip,. I glanced up, still clear but I needed to hurry up.

I felt around and finally found it. I sat back up and looked at the road.

"Oh, Fuck!" I yelled. A semi-truck was pulling out and was going to fast.

The last thing I remembered was the impact and pain.

* * *

**DPOV**  
"FAIL!" I yelled when I beat Stefan at a Guitar Hero song.

"I know."

"Now that I've kicked your ass multiple times...Speaking of, where the hell is Adam? I know it doesn't take this long to get from his place to yours, especially at his speed."

"Maybe he got caught?" Stefan shrugged. "You know the Man is cracking down now."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." I said, but I had a bad feeling.

"So how are you and Lexi doing?" I asked, trying to shake it off.

"Good, I guess. New York's pretty far, you know. I feel like I'm losing her." I nodded.

"It's not fair. You two were close."

"We belong together." Stefan said. "I'm just being paranoid."

"It's okay. I get it."

"How's Elena?"

"Good, good." Thing usually weren't this bad, but usually Adam was on time. He opened his mouth, but my phone cut him off.

"Anna? Why's she calling? Hello?" I only got a garbled sob in reply.

"Anna, Anna, calm down. What?"

...Hospital...J...Car crash..." Was all I caught.

"Anna! I can't understand you!" I said.

"Damon," Vicki said. She must have taken the phone. "I think you need to get to the hospital. Now."

"Why? What wrong?"

"It's J. He was in an accident. They have him in surgery right now."

"Yeah. I'll be right there." I hung up, and looked at Stefan.

"We gotta go!" I said, jumping up and running for the door.

"Why?"

"Adam's in the hospital! We gotta go!"

"What?"

"I'll explain on the way LET'S GO!"

We ran through the hospital doors ten minutes later. I'd texted Alaric and Elena on the way. They were on their way, too.

"Where are they?" Stefan panted.

"I don't know."

"Damon!" Vicki called. I looked up and she beckoned us down the hall. We ran down to them.

"Have you heard anything?" She shook her head. Anna looked up at the sound of my voice and flung herself into my arms.

"Hey, it's okay. He's going to be fine."

"They gave him a 90-10 chance, Damon! He's not!" She sobbed.

"He will be! Anna, this J-Dog we're talking about. Nothing bad's gonna happen." She shook her head, and continused to cry. We were all trying to comfort her when Alaric got there.

"Have you heard anything?" He asked. I shook my head, as a doctor came around the cornor.

"Is he okay!" Vicki asked seeing him. He must have been here already.

"We can only share what happened with family, I'm sorry. Is there anyone here?"

"His dad's on his way, but it could be another hour..."

"Then you'll have to wait." He said, turning away.

"Wait!" I said, letting Anna go and running after him. "I'm his brother."

"Your brother had massive trauma from the accident. He was in a coma when he got here and he had massive internal bleeding."

"But he's all fixed up now? He's good?"

"I'm sorry. But your brother didn't make it." The world stopped. There was no noise, I couldn't even hear my own thoughts all I knew was that the closest person in the world to me was gone. The doctor was still talking, but none of his words registered in my brain. I turned and walked back to group before he even finished.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Vicki asked. I didn't say anything.

"Damon, do not play with us right now!" I shook my head. Anna let out a shriek/sob noise and fell into Vicki's arms. Stefan and I wrapped our arms around them, and Alaric stayed to the side. That was probably the safest place right now.

The last thing I said to him was Hurry up. Not I love you, not goodbye. Hurry up. And now he gone." Anna cried. I pulled her from Vicki's arms. I knew how to handle people in this state. I'd done it with Stefan when his dad died, Vicki when her

dog died, I could handle this.

But could I handle myself?

* * *

**EPOV**  
Katherine and I ran through the hospital having no idea where to go.

"That way!' She pointed randomly and we took off down the hall. "There they are!"

We slowed down. Anna was crying which either meant that J was fine, or...

Damon looked up and spotted me instantly. He saw the question in my eyes and shook his head.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi! I just wanted to thank you guys for reading this story! And I also wanted to say that if you have any movies you want to see in TVD format I'd love to type something else like this. Just PM me the name and who you think should be who. Thanks!**

**~NCS**

* * *

**DPOV**

"_NO_! That will not go on the bulletin!" J's mom screeched.

"It was him nickname." I said, holding my head in my hands. "He'd want it on there."

"No! I will not have my son buried with the name of a_ hooligan_!"

"Alice," J's dad interrupted. "Everyone called Adam J-Dog. It was his thing. I agree with Charlie- I mean Damon."

"Thank you, sir." I said.

"No, I won't allow it. As his mother-"

"Some mother!" I shouted. "You saw him, what twice a year? You don't know the first thing about him!" She starred at me in shock.

"Now," I continued, "J-Dog is going on that...whatever you call it. And I think My name should go under siblings, and Anna should be on there too. They were together for almost three years."

"Peter, please. You can't let him do this."

"I can and I am. Damon spent more time with Adam than you and me combined. I trust him on this. As for putting his and Anna's name on the bulletin, I like it. I like Anna. She's a good girl."

"You're explaining it to his grandparents then!" She snapped. "I'm done here. And you," she said looking down at me. "Don't bring your riff-raff into the church." I opened my mouth, but Peter shook his head. Alice stormed out of the office.

"I'm sorry, Damon." He sighed.

"How did you get hung up with such a bitch?" I asked standing up.

"Long story short, I was young, drunk, and she hot..."

"I see. Look, I'd love to hang out, but I've got plans with Elena...So, I'll see you tonight?"

"Absolutely." I smiled and took off. We'd been making plans all day and best we could. J's mom had shown up out of the blue with fake tears in her eyes. I'd always hated her. The way she'd correct me and J for we didn't do wrong, the way she yelled at Peter, the way she left them without a word. She was just like my dad.

I pulled into Elena's drive way to find her waiting on the porch.

"How'd it go?" She asked.

"Horribly." I sighed. "It was perfect until J's mom came in and ruined everything."

"I'm sorry." She said, leading me up to her bedroom.

"It's fine. We got it sorted out. I'm looking forward to talking to his family tonight though." I said, flopping down on her bed.

"I'm sure it will all work out." She said, laying next to me.

"You don't know Alice." I said. "She's like the queen of all bitches. She's disagreeable, she's annoying, she's mean...I don't know how I would have made it if Peter hadn't been there."

"I'm sorry." She said again. "I know this can't be easy for you."

"Forget it. Right now, I want to forget everything outside this room." I said, pulling her on top of me. She pressed her lips to mine eagerly. This was first time we'd been alone in days. HEr fingers roped themselves in my hair as the kiss became more passionate.

"Damon," She breathed. "Damon, we have stop." I groaned and let her go.

"I'm sorry." She said a few minutes later.

"Don't apologize. If that's how you want it, I'm okay with it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to." She smiled and kissed me again.

"I love you." I didn't mean to say it. It just came out. I was about to take it back when,

"I love you, too." She said. I starred at her for a second and she sighed.

"I know it's hard for you to say that, after what Katherine did to you. Anna and Vicki told me everything. I'm not going to make you regret saying it, ever."

"Thank you." I whispered. "I want to stay, but I have go get ready for tonight. I'll be back in about an hour to get you, okay?"

"Alright. I'll see you soon." I kissed her again, and left.

* * *

**EPOV**

I stood on the porch and watched Damon drive down the road. I hadn't wanted him to leave, but I was glad he had.

He loved me. I loved him. And I needed to talk to my sister. I'd tried to avoid talking to Katherine about Damon since she'd been with him before. But now I needed her advice. I thought about how to bring this up while I dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"Katherine." I said.

"Elena?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry to call you, you probably have plans or something but I _really_ need to talk to you. And you're the only one I can talk to about this."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's_ wrong._ Everything's right! Besides J being dead anyway."

"Then what are you freaking out about?"

"Damon told me he loved me today."

"Did he? Was this before or after he tried to get you naked?"

"Katherine." I sighed. "He was over and we making out and it got pretty hot. But when I asked him to stop, he did. And I'm starting to think that I don't want him to stop."

"Elena, how long have you been dating him?"

"Not long."

"It's puppy love, honey. If you let him have you now, he won't stick around."

"But I want him!" I groaned, sinking down on the couch. "He's amazing and I think I really do love him."

"Well, if you do decide to sleep with him, just be safe."

"I know, I know. But...What it's like?"

"I'm not talking to you about _that._ Just be careful and have fun."

"Okay. Bye, Kat." I hung up and put my head in my hands.

I wasn't going to mess up what I had with Damon. Not now, not ever.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry I took so long to post this. I just wanted to write more, and I've been busy. Here it is, and I'll post faster, promise.**

* * *

**DPOV**

"We are here today, not to mourn the loss of a good friend, but to celebrate his life." The priest said, over J's coffin, I was sitting in the second row with Elena, Anna Vicki, the guys and Stefan. J's mom wasn't happy that they were all here, but she'd get over it, he would have wanted us here.

Anna had been crying pretty bad earlier, but she was trying to hold it all in now. Vicki looked like she was going to burst at any second. The guys had a little more control, but I knew they'd end up crying too. Elena sat next to me, holding my hand tight. I felt my eyes burning with unshed tears, but refused to let them fall. Salvatore's didn't cry. Not in public at least.

"Adam did not have a long time in this world, but what time he did have was well spent" The guy went on about the good stuff J had done and read his bible verses. I didn't have anything against church, but this was too much. J wouldn't have wanted all this. When he finished reading and praying, we went outside for the burial.

Elena gripped my hand tightly as the coffin was lowered. She'd come to like J in the little time they'd known each other. I looked up and saw Katherine a little ways away from everyone, meeting my eyes she waved sadly. Her and J had pretty good friends before the break up.

"Another life goes into the night..." I said softly, throwing dirt on his coffin and crossing myself. "Never forget me, man."

* * *

"How are you?" Elena asked on the drive home.

"Okay." I sighed, still in shock, I guess."

"Have...have you cried yet?" Any other time I would have laughed at her tone. But right now, I couldn't.

"I can't." I said. "I've tried, but whenever I'm ready for the tears to come, they won't."

"They won't come until you least expect it." She said. "Do you want stay at my house tonight? I'm sure my dad would let you use the couch if you told him..."

"No, thanks. I think I'm gonna go home tonight."

"But, Damon, your dad..."

"I have to learn to stand up to him sometime, Elena. Trust me." She sighed.

"Okay. But at least come over for dinner? Maybe we can convince my dad to let us go out tonight."

"Alright, when?"

"Around six." I pulled up to her house and stopped.

"I'll see you tonight." I said. She leaned over and kissed me.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." We kissed again and she got out of the car. I drove home, perfectly fine, until I saw my father's car. My throat closed up as I parked. I shut off the car and took a deep breath.

"Come on, Damon." I said to myself. "You're eighteen now, you can do this." I got out of the car and walked inside. I smelled dinner cooking and almost smiled. I started to go find Nana.

"Damon?" My father called from his office. Damn, he caught me. "Damon James, GET IN HERE!" I went into the office, trying not to show how scarred I was. I sat down and looked him in the eyes.

"Where have you been?"

"I was at my History teacher's place. I had to be near town, I had things to do."

"Like what?"

"I had to plan a funeral, sir." He frowned and actually looked a little concerned.

"What?"

"I had to plan-"

"I got that!" He cut me off. "Explain this to me." Since when did he care?

"Who died?"

"My best friend, Adam Johnson, sir." I said.

"Where were his parents?"

"His father works a lot and his mom...she's not around much. I knew him the best." He nodded.

"I see." He said, standing up. "And it didn't cross you mind to call and let us know you were alright?"

"I was busy." The back of his hand connected with my face and the slapping sound echoed in the small room.

"Don't get smart with me!" I stood up and looked him in the eye.

"Go ahead, hit me. Beat me until I'm unrecognizable, fucking kill me if you want. I could care less. All I have left is Elena, and she'll come to her senses sooner or later. So, go ahead." He only stared at me. "What's wrong, Dad? You scared now?" He shook his head.

"Get out. I don't care where you go, but get out of here." I shrugged.

"Okay, see you tonight." I walked out of the office, closed the door, then sank to the floor. That wasn't that hard. I could do this.

* * *

**GPOV**

After my son left I went back to my desk to finish my paperwork that I had been doing, but when I opened my desk drawer, something else caught my eye.

_Who Inspires You._ Damon's English essay that the teacher had given me and asked me to read. I looked at the clock and sighed. Nothing better to do.

_I'm inspired by my father, Guiseppe Salvatore. Born in Italy in 1963 to a poor family, he came to America when he was nineteen with nothing but the shirt on his back, a hundred dollars in his pocket and a dream on his mind. Now, nineteen years later, he's made that dream into a multimillion dollar enterprise..._.

He went on to explain how my business ran and how, because of me, he wanted to start his own business. I didn't know he knew half of what he had written. didn't know he listened when I talked about work or where I came from, but apparently he did.

I felt tears in my eyes as I finished reading. His paper was excellent, all his fact were right and he stayed on topic. All those years of telling him he was worthless, that he was and always would be nothing, and this what proved me wrong.

I wiped my hand across my face and stood up from my desk.

I had to find him.


	9. Chapter 9

**There's a lot of Dialogue in this chapter, but there will be less in the next one I hope. Soo sorry it took so long.**

* * *

**GPOV**  
I found Damon in his room getting ready go out again.

"Can I help you?" He asked, seeing me in the mirror.

"Where are you going?"

"Elena invited me to dinner, then we'll probably go out if her dad says it's okay." I nodded.

"Good, good...What do you think you'll do?" He shrugged. We fell into an awkward silence. After a few minutes he sighed.

"Seriously, do you need something?" I nodded.

"Yes actually. Do you recognize this?" I held his paper out to him and he took it.

"Where'd you get this?" He asked, quietly, not looking up.

"A friend of yours gave it to me. An older man, said his name was... Alric?"

"Alaric. Of course." He sighed. "What does my English paper have to do with anything?"

"It's an amazing paper, Damon. I didn't know you knew half of what you wrote down." He shrugged.

"I listen." We stood in silence for few moments. "I should go. I've got to run to the store before I go to 'Lena's."

I watched as he grabbed his wallet, keys, and lighter.

"You smoke?" He shrugged.

"Yeah. What do you care?"

"Look, son, reading that paper put me in a new perspective. I know I was bad-_horrible-_to you. but I don't want that anymore. I want to get to know who you are, Damon."

"After eighteen years of _nothing,_ you want back in life because of a piece of paper?" I sighed.

"I want to put the past behind us." He shook his head.

"It's not that easy. I _can't_ put eighteen years behind me like that. I need to think for a while...I'm going to be late." He walked past me and out of the room. A minute later, his car started outside. I sighed again and sat down on his bed, my head in my hands. How could I convince him to let me in? To give me a chance?

I don't know how long a sat there until something cold and wet pressed against my pants leg. I looked down and a little Beagle was sitting there staring at me. After a second it stood up, sniffed me again, then jumped on the bed. When I ignored it it curled up on one of Damon's pillows and stared at me.

I didn't like the way it looked at me, like it knew who I was and what I'd done. I stood up and left the room quickly, closing the door behind me.

* * *

**DPOV**

"He really said all that?" Stefan asked disbelievingly over the phone.

"No, Stef, I made it up." I said.

"Do you think he means it?"

"Yeah," I said softly. "I really do."

"Are you actually _considering_ this?"

"I don't know...Where are you anyway? Your mom said you weren't home when I called there."

"Airport. Lexi's coming to visit for a few days" I smiled at how happy he sounded. Lexi was Stefan's girlfriend of two years and my girl best friend since forever.

"Speaking of...does _she_ know about the flare gun thing?" He sighed and could practically see him running his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, I called her, that's why she's-HERE! Her flight just landed. Oh, man, I should have brought her something other than flowers! I should have-"

"Hey, Romeo, you don't have to yell. Why don't you and her come hang out with me a Elena? I'm taking her out after dinner."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's good. Lexi loves you. Where and when?"

"The mall, I guess. I'll text you when. Good luck at dinner."

"Good luck with Lexi." I hung up and got out the car.

"There you are." Elena said, opening the door before I could knock.

"Yeah, sorry, I needed to-"

"Come on, we still have twenty minutes before dinner's ready." She said, pulling up the stairs.

"I told Stefan the him and Lexi could meet us at the mall, is that cool?"

"Uh-huh. Great."

"Are you okay? You seem jumpy."

"I'm fine." She pulled me into her room and closed then locked it. "I just want some alone time."

She pushed me down on her and kissed me. These weren't Elena's sweet kisses, these were urgent, needful ones. But I wasn't going to complain.

"What are you doing?" I asked against her lips when she started unbuttoning my shirt.

"Please?" She whispered, pushing it off my shoulders. I took it off and tossed it to the floor. She ran her finger tips across my abs before kissing me again.

"Elena?" I breathed, pulling away. "What are you doing?" She'd went to work on my belt now.

"What's wrong?" She whispered. "Don't you want me?"

"It's not that." I said. She sighed and sat up on the bed next to me.

"Then what is it?" I looked at her and sighed.

"I have a lot on my mind right now. And I don't have anything on me." She looked confused for a second then, understanding, she blushed.

"You don't...keep one in your wallet?"

"Not tonight! Your parents are here."

"So?"

"So...It's just not the time. And you're not ready."

"I am so!" She said, quickly.

"You're lieing. I know you're not ready yet. And you know it too." She looked away from me.

"But I want to be." She whispered. "I want to make you happy."

"Elena, look at me." I waited until she did. "I am the happiest man alive right now. With what we have."

"But I read that guys who are sexually active-"

"That doesn't matter. Do you love me?" She nodded. "You're the first person, that wasn't family, that's told me that and meant it. Do you know what that means to me? If you told me you loved me everyday, I wouldn't care if I never had sex again." She smiled and kissed me again

"How'd you know?" She asked, laying her head on my chest.

"Know what?"

"That I wasn't ready." I shrugged.

"You were all jumpy, nervous." she nodded.

"When will I be?"

"You'll feel it." She nodded again. We laid in silence for a while, and I played with her hair.

"...Damon?" She whispered hesitantly.

"Hm?"

"Who was your first?" I froze. I should known that was coming. When I didn't answer, she frowned.

"Was it Katherine?" I shook my head.

"No...It was my best friend."

"Who?"

"Does is matter?" She shook her head.

"No, I guess not...Why her? Did you love her?"

"No. It was nothing romantic at all. We were both in relationships with people who had experience and we were both afraid, so one thing led to another and..."

"Were you nervous?"

"Yeah." And I was. I was sixteen and had no idea what I was doing.

"Were you ready?" And looked down at her and sighed.

"No, I wasn't. That's why I want you to wait. Don't just give it up to make someone else happy. Elena...If I had been anybody else, thing wouldn't have gone this way."

"I understand." She looked at her clock and smiled. "But we still have five more minutes." I laughed at the mischievous tone in her voice before kissing her again.


	10. Chapter 10

**_LEXI_**

I got off the plane as quickly as I could. It had been a long flight, and I couldn't wait to be on the ground again. To be in Stefan's arms again.

Stefan, the love of my life. The one I was going to kill as soon as I was off this plan.

But, of course, as soon as I saw him standing there, waiting for me, flowers in hand, my anger melted.

"LEXI!" He yelled, when he saw me. I ran to him, dropping my carry-on beside us as I jumped into his arms. We had been together in a year, since I moved to New York. He hadn't changed at all- he looked the same, smelled the same, he was still as strong-but was different. He seemed tired, older.

"I love you." He said, holding me tighter against his chest.

"I love you, too." I felt tears on my face and wiped them away. "Come on," I said grabbing my bag. "I need to get my stuff, and then we need to talk."

He nodded, and took my hand in his.

"I told Damon we could hang out with him and his girlfriend for a while tonight if that's okay?"

"He's not still with that bitch is he?"

"No, they broke up a while ago. He's dating her sister now." I sighed and shook my head.

"That boy. What am I going to do with him?" Stefan laughed, then shrugged. It felt good to be home.

"How are you?" I asked when we were alone in his car. He sighed.

"Look, Damon and my parents have already got on me about it, you don't need to."

"I'm just asking if you're okay!" I snapped. "I think I have the right to ask my boyfriend that after he tried to commit suicide!" He sighed, and took my hand again.

"I'm sorry, Lexi. I'm just tired of hearing the speech, you know. Damon really let my have it after he found out, then my mom and step dad got a hold of me, I know what you're going to say." I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Okay, change of subject. You know Damon's moving to New York next year..."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well...Apartments are cheaper if you share them-"

"You want to live with Damon?"

"Better him than some stranger, right?" He shrugged.

"I guess." I smiled and kissed his cheek. I loved how understanding he was.

I just wondered if he'd be as understanding if I told him me and Damon's secret.

* * *

**_DAMON_**

"They hate me." I said, as I held Elena's door open.

"No, they don't." She said, getting in. "They just...don't love you." I rolled my eyes and got the in the car. Elena was going through my CDs, trying to find something she might like.

"I don't know any of this." She said when she was done.

"Yeah, you do. You just don't know you do. See this?" I asked, picking up a mixed CD. "Listen." I put it in and after a second she looked at me.

"This is the Cheer Squads practice music!" I nodded.

"Coach asked me to make the playlist." I shrugged. "3OH!3, Metro Station, anything techno-ish, hip-hoppy, or sexual." She my hit my arm and laughed.

It was a short ride to the mall where we were hanging out with Stefan and Lexi. When we pulled in, I saw them waiting. Elena and I got out of the car and joined them.

"Damon!" Lexi said, wrapping her arms around me. I picked her up and spun her around, taking in having one of few people who really knew me back. I put her down, then looked at her.

"You haven't changed a bit, Blondie." She looked at Elena, then back at me.

"Apparently neither have you." I rolled my eyes. She held her hand out to Elena.

"Hi. I'm Lexi." Elena took her hand and smiled.

"Elena."

"Hey, Lexi, why don't you and Elena go on in. Me and Damon need to talk about something." Stefan said. Lexi glanced between us and shrugged.

"Come on, we'll wait for them in Star Bucks." She entwined her arm with Elena's and they went inside. Stefan looked at me

"Now, let's talk about your dad."

* * *

_**ELENA**_

"So, you and Damon, huh?" Lexi asked, as we walked. I nodded. "I never imagined him with a girlfriend."

"Why?" She shrugged.

"I just figured he'd be a bachelor like his dad." I shrugged.

"You two seem pretty close." I said. She nodded.

"We've know each other since we were kids. Our fathers work together, so we grew up together. He introduced me to Stefan." We went into Star Bucks and she ordered for her, Stefan, and Damon. I ordered my drink and we sat down.

"Is it sad that I'm girlfriend and I don't even know what kind of coffee he drinks?" I asked.

"He hasn't told you?" I shook my head.

"I barely know anything about him." I sighed. She smiled.

"Hey, don't feel bad. No one does. I only know what I know because I spent seventeen years with him. It's kind of the advantage of being his best friend, you know." I nodded.

"So...Is there anything you could tell me that could make this easier on me?"

"Well, I can tell you that beneath the leather jacket, he's a total dork."

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I. He loves Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. He loves to read. I'm sure you already know he loves music." I nodded.

"Yeah, he wants to move to New York and open a record store." Our drinks came and we pretty much stopped talking. "Hey, Lexi?"

"Hm?"

"How did you put up with Damon for seventeen years?" She laughed and shrugged.

I felt like I could really like her.

* * *

**Okay, guys. There you go. Let's say five reviews until the next chapter?**


	11. Chapter 11

**DPOV**

Stefan and I sat down on a bench outside the mall and I lit a cigarette.

"Want one?" I asked.

"No." Stefan said. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Stef. He wants to put all eighteen years behind us and try to start over-"

"You look like you're actually considering this."

"Like I said, I don't know. I've never had a family and I want one."

"You have a family, Damon. You have me and Lexi and Elena and-"

"You know what I mean. I want a real family. I'm only here for a few more months until I leave for New York, and I might not come back, I might never see him again, or..."

"Or?" I sighed and looked down.

"Or it could be like J." I said. "Think about it, he was coming over, texting Anna- things he'd done hundreds of times. But that time, it cost him. He died without working things out with his mom...and even though she's a total bitch, she regrets that. I don't want things to go like that." Stefan nodded slowly.

"What does Elena think?" I didn't answer. "You haven't told her."

"I was going to...but I got distracted." He rolled his eyes. I put my cigarette out and stood. "Come on, we should go. The girls are probably itching to spend some of our money." He laughed and we walked inside.

"I think Lexi and I are finally ready." He said, trying to be smooth about it, but sounding nervous as hell.

"Really?" I asked, hoping he'd drop it.

"Yeah. I mean it's been a year, and we've known each other longer than that..."

"Well, that's nice, Stef." I muttered.

"Mm-hm. I just wanna figure out how to make it perfect since it's both our first times-" If only he knew...

"I really don't want to hear about that, man." He nodded and blushed a little. I felt kind of bad for him, he was so new to all of this, but I couldn't offer him any advice- not after what I'd done.

We walked the rest of the way in silence.

* * *

**EPOV**

Lexi was telling me stories about what Damon was like when he was younger, until him and Stefan joined us. Damon leaned over and kissed me when he sat down, and Stefan followed his lead, kissing Lexi.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Damon asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"You during puberty." He almost spit his coffee out, until Lexi laughed. "I'm kidding."

"You better be." He said, then looked at me. "Are you ready to start going through my dads bank account?"

"Oh, I couldn't-" But he was already taking out a credit card.

"Please, our families have so much money that it won't be missed." He said, gesturing to the four of us. "And I'm not going to let you spend any of yours." I rolled my eyes, and took the card.

"So, where are you guys going first?" Lexi looked at me, and shrugged. We sat there for a while, Damon was playing with my fingers and Stefan copied him.

"Well, let's go." Lexi said, standing up and taking Stefan's hand. "We're not leaving here without something." Damon rolled his eyes and took my hand. Lexi talked as we walked, telling us about New York, her friends, and school, then stopped outside Victoria's Secret. Damon dropped my hand.

"You guys have fun."

"Where will you two be?" Lexi asked, as he and Stefan started to walk away.

"Music store or the arcade. Buy something pretty." Damon said, as they disappeared. I looked at the store, unsure.

"Oh, come on. You don't have to buy anything sexy, you can get whatever you want." I bit my lip and nodded and we walked in.

I ignored the lingerie and went straight to the perfumes and lotions. But after a few minutes, Katherine's words came into my mind.

'Damon will get bored with you.I had him first Elena. I know what he likes and how he likes it. He'll come crawling back to me one day. And I'll accept him.'

Hesitantly I walked over and my fingers across the blue lace cami I stopped in front of. What was I thinking? I didn't know anything about being sexy. Katherine always picked out anything I had that was remotely sexy.

"Not that." Lexi said, coming up behind me. "It's not your color." I looked at her confused.

"Fashion student." She smiled. "Try black or red or pink...plus Damon doesn't like blue all that much." I shook my head.

"I don't even know what I'm doing."

"That's okay. Here" She started handing me things. "Try those on, see if you like them." I nodded and went into a changing room. I picked up a tiny pink night gown and sighed. I tried it on and looked in the mirror, and gasped. I looked good. The pink went well with my skin and brought out my eyes. I felt a little bit more confident as I tried on the rest. I put my clothes back on and went back to Lexi.

"Good?" I nodded. "Good. Now use that shiny black credit card and buy them."

"I don't know... He might not-"

"He'll love them. Go." She pushed me towards the cash register and went back to what she was doing.

* * *

**DPOV**

"So what's going on at your house?" I asked Stefan as I looked through some CDs.

"Nothing really. Whatever said to mom really opened her eyes. She's even letting Lexi stay with us." I looked up from the Metallica CD I was holding.

"But she hates Lexi."

"I know. I'm shocked too. Actually, she's the one that told me to call her."

"Now I know your lying."

"Nope. Seriously."

"Hm... What about your sister."

"Just as evil as ever." He muttered.

"She's not evil. She's...mischievous. She'll grow out of it."

"Like you did?" He asked, sarcastically, as I picked up a Disturbed CD.

"No, mine grew with me. She's a girl, hers will disappear."

"You know...speaking of my sister...my Mom and Eric are going out tomorrow and want me to babysit but with Lexi here, I was wondering if you would do it?"

"I have group tomorrow until seven, then Elena's coming over, but I guess I could...for a price." He sighed.

"What do you want?" I shrugged, and walked away from him.

"What kind of music do you think Elena likes?" I asked.

"You don't know?"

"I don't know a lot about her...actually, I don't know _anything_ about her..." He looked at me.

"Does she know anything about you?" I shook my head. "Damon, if you don't open up she won't stay with you. If you can't tell her what you like, how will she know you're not lieing to her all the time?"

"You're right." I said. "I'm trying, but..." He nodded.

"I know your scared. She's not your mother Damon, and she's not Katherine." I nodded, and looked away from him at the clock on the wall.

"Come on, let's go find them." I said, walking toward the exit. "And stop copying what I do with Elena with Lexi, it's creepy."


	12. Chapter 12

**EPOV**  
Lexi and I walked out of the store and Damon and Stefan were waiting for us.

"Oh," Damon said, taking my bag from me. "What's in here?" I put my hand over his to keep him looking.

"Be good, and maybe you'll find out." I whispered in his ear before I kissed him.

"Really?" He smirked. I nodded, my legs feeling a little weak under his intense stare. I was worried that I would collapse until my phone rang.

"It's Caroline. Excuse me." I said, and walked away, thankful that she always called at the right moments

* * *

**CPOV**  
I sat at the perfectly set table with Tyler and his mom, feeling out of place.

"So, Caroline," Mrs. Lockwood said, looking intently at me, "what do you want to do when you graduate."

"Oh, I want to be an event planer."

"Really?" I nodded.

"Yes. I plan all the events that the cheer squad holds, everything from food to decorations."

"Oh...I've always found those events to be quiet tacky." I ducked my head and stabbed at my salad.

"Mom..." Tyler whispered.

"And they're boring, I must have almost fallen asleep a million times. No, dear, I don't think that that's a good career choice for you."

"Mom!"

"I need to go- I'll be back." I said, standing up. I retreated to the bathroom and some tears ran down my face. I tried to take some deep breaths to calm down, but I couldn't breathe. I dug through my clutch and found my phone, hit Elena's speed dial and waited.

"Hello?"

"I think I'm having a panic attack." I gasped.

"What? Why?"

"Because she hates me! She hates me and she won't ever let him be with me."

"Who?"

"Tyler! His mom hates me! And if she hates me then he'll never go out with me again. And I like him Elena, and I know he likes me-"

"Since when has a boys mom ever gotten in your way?"

"Tyler's a Lockwood, Elena." I said.

"So..."

"They're high class and powerful." I could almost hear her roll her eyes.

"And your Caroline Forbes! You don't let anyone get in your way if you want something. And you want Tyler, right?"

"Yes."

"Then go get him. And if he lets his mommy make all decisions for him, he doesn't deserve you."

"You're right. You're always right. Thanks, Elena."

"No problem. Bye."

"Bye." I ended the call, fixed my make-up, and walked out of restroom.

"Did you get lost?" Mrs. Lockwood asked, as I was about to sit down.

"Okay, I've had enough of this." I said, not caring if anyone turned to look at me. "Ever since Tyler and I got here all you've done is criticize my clothes, my hair, and my plans. Well, I'm going to let anyone walk all over me just because I'm not rich! And you," I looked at Tyler. "I like you. I really like you, but if you're going to let your mother decided who you should be with, then I want nothing to do with you."

I grabbed my jacket and walked out of the restaurant, then let all the tears I'd been holding back run down my face.

"Caroline!" Tyler yelled behind me. "Caroline, stop!" He grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"What?" I said, trying to get away from him.

"That was amazing." He said. "No one has ever stood up to my mother like that."

"Well, someone had to!"

"You're right. And I'm going to start, with this." He leaned down and kissed me.

* * *

**EPOV**

"So..." Damon asked as we drove away from the mall**.** "How did you Lexi?"

"She was nice. And she knows embarrassing stuff about you, so it works." He groaned and I laughed, taking his hand. "I'm kidding." I wanted him to laugh, he hadn't been himself since we left Stefan and Lexi. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and closed his eyes for a second.

"We need to talk, Elena." Cold fear ran through my veins. That was what Matt told me when we broke up.

"About what?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

"My dad." He said softly.

"Did he hurt you?" I looked over what I could see of him. He shook his head.

"No...Elena, my dad wants to be a part of my life now." I shook my head slowly, trying to make sense of it.

"Why?" He shrugged.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I might want to be a part of his, too."

"What? No! After what he's done-"

"You don't get it." He cut me off. "I've never had a family, and I want one! That's all I ever wanted. And now I'm getting the chance to have one. Do you think I want pass that up?"

"You want him to be your family? After everything he's done to you?" I whispered. He let go of my hand and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know yet." We were quiet after that. I looked out the window, wondering why I was so angry. I didn't have any right to try to control Damon's decisions. He sighed and took my hand again.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just...I want this and no one understands."

"I'm sorry, too. If that's what you want, I'll help you how ever can." He smiled and we talked good naturedly the rest of the way home.

"I had fun tonight." I said as we walked up my porch steps. "I haven't been on a double date in a while."

"I've never been on a double date." He admitted. "You're gonna hate me for this..."

"What did you do?"

"I told Stefan I'd babysit his sister tomorrow..."

"But tomorrow was going to be our night alone."

"And it still will be. Pretty much. I have group until six, you're not coming over til seven, and she has to be in bed at eight. Your curfew is twelve. We'll have a few a hours to watch a movie." He looked at the bags in my hand, his eyes focusing on the Victoria's Secret one, then he looked back at me, his eyes a little darker.

"Or not watch a movie." There was a tap on the window next me, and rolled my eyes. I sat my bags down and wrapped my arms around Damon's neck.

"My dad's watching us right now." I whispered.

"Really?" I nodded.

"And, for some reason, I really want to piss him off." He grinned down at me.

"I can do that." He said, before pressing his lip to mine.


	13. Chapter 13

**DPOV(NEXT DAY)**  
I kissed Elena goodbye at her dad's car, enjoying his anger as much as she was.

"See you tonight." She whispered, getting in. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I smiled and closed her door, waving goodbye to her father. I walked back towards my car, wondering how tonight was going to go.

I used to hang out at Stefan's all the time, and I trained his sister to be a hellion like I was. And through that, she'd developed a crush on me. I knew it would fade over time, but I hadn't seen her in years so I didn't know.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by two guys yelling at each other a few cars down from mine. After listening for second I recognized Jeremy's voice. I sighed and walked over, watching for only second while another guy knocked him down before I stepped in.

"Hey," I said stepping between them. "What the fuck is your problem?"

"He's been all over my girlfriend." The guy said, trying to get around me.

"Who's your girlfriend?" I asked, pushing him back.

"Bonnie Bennett."

"Right. And you are?"

"Luka Martin." I nodded.

"Well, Luka, I know Bonnie Bennett. And if she is your girlfriend, she was all over this kid first. So back the fuck up, get in your car, and go home."

"Or what?"

"Or you'll be dealing with me." He started to laugh and I cracked my knuckles. That shut him up fast. He turned and walked away.

"You okay, man?" I asked, helping Jeremy up.

"How'd you do that?" He asked.

"I have a reputation." I shrugged. "I've kicked plenty of peoples asses, guys know better than to mess with me."

"Thanks." He said, then started to walk away.

"You walk home?" I asked, following him.

"It's not that far." He was lieing, he lived in the same neighbor hood Elena did, which was ten minutes away by car.

"Yeah, it is." I said. "You're parents don't pick you up?"

"My parents don't care." I put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

"They do. They're not showing it now, but once they realize that you're not going to be around forever, things will change. Come on, I'll give you ride."

Jeremy was a quiet kid. The whole way back to his house he pointed out the way, but didn't say a word.

"Hey," I said before he got out of the car. "There's this group that meets every week-"

"I'm not a cutter, dude." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not asking you spill your guts for a bunch of strangers. I'm just telling you about it. Our group leader, Klaus, is really helpful with parental issues. You could call him, he'll give you advice on how to deal with them." I wrote his number down and held it out.

"Yeah, whatever." He took the paper and got of the car.

* * *

"You have a very busy schedule." My dad said, seeing me getting ready again. I shrugged.

"Yeah, group, babysitting, and girlfriend time. _How do I do it all_?" I muttered. He laughed lightly.

"Do you think you could be out of the house for a little while tonight?" He raised his eyebrows. "I promised Elena a little alone time today. Abby doesn't go to bed till eight, so if you could give until a least ten..."

"What are you going to be doing?"

"Probably watching a movie." I shrugged. "Don't worry, things will stay PG-13." Most likely. He nodded.

"Okay, until ten." I smiled.

"Thanks." He looked at me for a few minutes and sighed.

"You look just like her." He said. "The hair, the eyes, you even have her smile. The only thing that different is the way you act. You're just like I was when I was eighteen."

"She left because of me didn't she?" I asked, looking down.

"I don't know, son." I sighed.

"I've gotta go. I'll see you later." I tried to walk past him and he stopped me.

"I'm sorry. You had to grow up without either of your parents because I blamed you. It wasn't your fault, Damon. If anyone's to blame it's me." I nodded.

"Can we talk about this later?" I asked. "I...I can't process all this right now."

"Okay." He said, understandingly.

"I seriously have to go though." I grabbed my keys.

"Well, Damon," Klaus started. "How'd your week go?"

"Surprisingly well." I said, leaning back in my chair. "I had a double date with Elena, Stefan and his girlfriend, and my dad decided that he wanted to work things out..."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I'm not sure yet. I know that he wants to be in my life now, and want to be in his but..."

"You're scared." He said. "You're afraid that if you let him in he'll leave again. Your afraid of being abandoned again." I nodded.

"What about you and Elena? How are you two doing?"

"Really good." I said, unable to keep from smiling. "I think I really got it right this time."

"Well, that's great, Damon." He smiled. "We're all happy for you."

I could tell from the look on Roses face that she was anything but happy.

* * *

**JPOV**  
I sat at my desk, trying to figure out a math problem, but getting distracted by my parents yelling at each other about something. I sighed and found the number that Damon gave me earlier. I dialed it number and waited.

"Klaus Smith." A man answered.

"Uh, hi." I said, awkwardly. "my names Jeremy, a friend gave me your number?" It came out as question instead of a statement.

"Which friend?"

"Why does that matter? He said you could help."

"I have many different groups I work with. Knowing what you needed might help me help you."

"Oh, right. Um, Damon Salvatore." I said.

"Ah. Damon's involved with a few of my groups. Drugs and alcohol, cutting, trouble with his parents-"

"That's it." I said. "My parents are...They act like I don't exist."

"Oh. I know that's hard to deal with." He said, sympathetically. "But you've already taken the first step by telling Damon. The next thing to talk to your parents how you feel. If you don't want to do that alone, I can arrange a meeting with them. Depending on how that goes, we'll move from there."

"You think that will work?"

"Well, how about we set up a meeting to discus this further and see if that's the best approach. I can arrange for Damon to be there if you like."

"No, don't bother him. I don't know him that well. Um, when do you wanna meet?" I heard papers shuffling.

"I can see you Monday after your school lets out." He gave me the address to his office and I wrote it down.

"Thanks. I'll be there." I said. We said goodbye and I hung up, just in time to hear the door slam down stairs.

_Damn._

* * *

**EPOV**  
I stared at myself in the full-length mirror, studying the contrast of the pink lace against my skin. I bit my lip and pick up the red gown instead, but I didn't like that one either.

"Come on, Elena." I whispered. "It's not that hard." I stared at the things Lexi and I bought, and sighed.

"We're babysitting a six year old. Nothing big is going to happen tonight." I picked up the pink bra and pantie set and nodded.

"Perfect." I whispered. I put them on and pulled a black tank top and gray skinny jeans on over them. I looked at the clock. Five forty five. I looked in the mirror one last time and went downstairs.

"Where are you going?" My mom asked from the couch.

"Over to Damon's. I'll be back by curfew."

"I thought I told you to stop seeing that boy."

"And I told you I didn't care." I said, facing her. "I love him, Mom. I'm not giving that up because you don't like what he's done."

"You are seventeen. You don't know what love is." She said.

"I do." I said, not caring that I sounded like a teenager. "It's waking up in the morning and wondering if he's awake yet, my heart jumping into my throat whenever I see him, the feeling I get when he kisses me, looking up the stars and night and wondering if he's looking at them too, then wondering if he's dreaming of me while I'm dreaming of him." She laughed at me.

"That's how I felt about your father when I was seventeen, and my mother told me the same thing I'm telling you. But I ignored her too and ended up pregnant with Katherine. It wasn't love, Elena, it was lust."

"Damon and I aren't having sex." I said. "I hate to rain on your pity parade, but I'm not you." I walked out of the house and got me car, ignoring her calls for me to get in my room for talking to her that way. I drove to Damon's in complete silence, thinking over what we just said. By the time I was at Damon's door, tears were running down my face.

"Hey- What's wrong?" He asked, opening the door for me. I shook my head and he pulled me into his arms. "You're freezing, come on." He pulled me inside and held onto me.

"Tell me what's wrong." He whispered.

"It's nothing. I just had a fight with my mom and I'm over analyzing it. All that matters is that I'm here with you." I said, looking up into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He said, leaning down and kissing me. I kissed him back, and we stood locked together for a few minutes until a little girls voice interrupted us.

"Dami!" She called. i raised my eyebrows.

"Dami?"

"She's six." He said.

"I like it. I think I'll start calling you that." He groaned and lead me down the hall.

"What?" He asked, leaning on the door frame of the dinning room. His cousin was small, with dark hair and green eyes.

"Who's she?" She asked, looking at me.

"This is my girlfriend, Elena." He said. "She's nice, I promise." The little girl looked at for a few seconds then looked back at her food.

"I'm done." She said.

"No, you're not. I just put that in front of you."

"I'm not hungry." She snapped. He sighed and looked at me.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**There you go, next chapter in five reviews? Delena babysitting.**


	14. Chapter 14

**EPOV**  
Music from the TV show Abby was watching as I sat on the counter watching Damon clear the table.

"I wonder what's wrong with her." He said, putting the dishes in the sink. "She was hungry earlier."

"I don't know." I said. He walked over and I wrapped my legs around his waist. "But, I'm sure she'll behave."

He rested his head on my shoulder and sighed.

"Are you okay?" I asked, stroking his hair.

"Kinda tired." He shrugged. "I had a pretty long day. I'll be alright." We stayed like that for a second until a little cough came from the dorrway. Damon pulled away from me a looked at Abby.

"Thought you were watching TV?" He said.

"It went off." She said, looking up at him with green eyes.

"Okay." He said. "Now what?"

"What time is it?" He looked at the clock.

"Almost seven."

"At seven thirty I have to take a bath and at eight I have to go bed and I have to be asleep by eight thirty."

"What do you want to do now?" He asked.

"Can I have ice cream?" He smiled.

"Sure. I'll be right back." He disappeared and Abby looked at me.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Elena, Damon's girlfriend." I said.

"I don't like you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm gonna marry Damon." I nodded, understandingly.

"I see."

"Here, kid." Damon said, handing her a popsicle. She took it and smiled. He handed me one and she frowned.

"I'm gonna go see what else is on TV." She walked out of the room and Damon looked at me.

"What'd I do?"

"Nothing." I promised. "It's me."

"What'd you do?"

"She just has a crush on you." I shrugged. He made a noise, then took a bite out of my ice cream.

"Hey! You just got you're nasty boy germs on my popsicle!" I pouted.

"So, you'll allow my tongue in your mouth, but not on your food?" I nodded and licked my ice cream. He watched me while I ate and I blushed.

"Sorry." He said, turning away to put the dishes in dishwasher. I jumped off the counter and put my arms around him, resting my head on his back.

"It's okay." He sighed.

"I'm gonna get Abby's bath ready, will you send her up?" I nodded. "And, you can pick out a movie for us to watch." With that he walked away.

* * *

**DPOV**

"Stefan will be here in few hours to pick you up." I said, as I tucked Abby into a bed in spare room.

"Dami..." She started.

"Hm?" I asked, looking at her.

"Do you love her more than me?" I sighed at sat on the bed next to her.

"It's different." I said. "Abby, you're family, I love you as a sister. But Elena is my girlfriend, and I'm _in love_ with her. Do you understand?" She nodded.

"Good. I'll be downstairs, just yell if need me."

"Okay. I love you." I kissed her forehead.

"Love you, too." I turned on the lamp beside the bed and turned the light out.

"Leave the door open!" She said.

"Alright. Goodnight." I went back downstairs and Elena was reading the back of a movie box.

"A scary movie?" I asked. She looked up and nodded.

"I like scary movies." She answered.

"Then you won't like that." I said, trying to take it.

"It's okay." She said, holding the box away. "I've seen it." I smiled.

"I see." I said, taking the DVD and putting it in. She sat down and I turned off the lights, then joined her. Even in the dark, I knew she was blushing.

"You know that you don't have to do anything you don't want to do." I said. "We can just watch the movie."

"When I was with Matt," she started, not looking at me. "He never wanted to do _anything._ He never made me feel the way you do. And that's what scares me." She shifted closer to me. "I want you to make me feel that way, Damon." I pulled onto my lap and looked into her eyes.

"I can do that." Our lips meet with a passion I'd never felt with anyone else. I shifted us so she was laying back on the couch. I pulled away from her and started kissing her neck. She pulled on my shirt.

"Off!" She breathed. I sat up and threw it in the floor. She ran her hands across my chest and pulled me to her again. I ran my hands up her sides and she moaned softly. "I want it off, too." She whispered.

"Are you sure?" She nodded and I pulled it over her head.

"I didn't know what to wear, I hope this is-"

"You're beautiful." I whispered, kissing her neck again. She tangled her fingers in my hair and moaned again as I sucked on the skin there.

"Damon..." She whispered, when I started to kiss down her stomach. "We have to stop." I pulled away from her and nodded. She ran her fingers through her hair and sat up. I looked at her and groaned.

"What?"

"I kind of...left my mark on you." She got up and looked in the mirror across the room.

"No!" She said, running her fingers across the hickey. "My dad's going to kill me!"

"I'm sure you'll be okay." I said, handing her her shirt. She put it on, and touched my chest again.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you, too. Come on, let's watch the movie."

She nodded and sat down. A few minutes, later I yawned.

"You can go to bed." She said. "I'll wait for Stefan and Lexi."

"I'm okay."

"At least take a nap?" I sighed.

"I'm not going to bed, Elena. Tonight is our night." She rolled her eyes.

"Then sleep down here." She said, pulling me down so my head was rested in her lap. "I saw this in a movie once."

I sighed and relaxed as her fingers ran through my hair. The last thing I felt were her lips on my forehead before I sleep took over me.


	15. Chapter 15

**EPOV**

I ran my fingers through Damon hair as I watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful and relaxed when he slept, like nothing could get to him. I heard someone come into the house around ten, but didn't worry about, thinking it was Stefan since Damon had given him a key earlier.

"Damon!" A man called. My fingers stopped their movements in his hair. I hadn't planed on meeting his father tonight. I hadn't planed on meeting him period. And now I was trapped and Damon was asleep.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Mr. Salvatore said when he found us. "You must be Elena?"

"Yes." I said, awkwardly.

"I thought you'd be home by now. I didn't mean to intrude."

"Not at all. He's asleep." I said, not looking at him. I couldn't look at him after what he had done. He sighed.

"No he's not." Damon murmured, opening his eyes, slightly.

"Go back to sleep."I said softly, but he sat up.

"Hey Dad." He said. "I thought you weren't coming in until ten."

"It's a little after ten." His father said.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked, looking at me. I shrugged. He stood up and streched.

"I've got to check on Abby." He kissed me quickly, then went upstairs.

I got up and took the movie out of the DVD player and put it in its box.

"When I was young it wasn't acceptable to fall asleep on a date." Mr. Salvatore said, awkwardly.

"He had a hard day." I shrugged, putting the movie where I found it.

"You seem close to him."

"Well, he is my boyfriend." I said. He nodded.

"He's told me. He really cares about you." I smiled.

"I care about him, too."

"That's why I need you to be alright with me trying to be in his life. If you don't like it, he won't be as comfortable with me." I sighed, looking at the shelf in front of me, be not at him.

"I don't know if I can be alright with it. I've only known him for a little over a month, though. I'm sure he's not too dependent on my thoughts."

"I wouldn't be so sure." He said. Damon came back then.

"Dead to the world. Wish I could sleep like that." I smiled.

"I should probably get home. My mom was ready to kill me when I left, I can only imagine how mad she is now." He sighed.

"I'll walk you to you car." We walked to the door and he stopped me. "Here." He handed me a hoodie.

"Thanks." I said pulling it on. He smiled, and opened the door. We walked hand in hand to the car. I hugged him when we stopped.

"Sorry I went to sleep." He said.

"It's okay." I said, resting my head on his chest. We stood there for a little while, just holding each other. He lifted my chin and kissed me for a second.

"I could get used to seeing you in my clothes." He said. "I like it."

"I do, too." I said, and kissed him again. "Good night, Damon."

"I love you."

"Love you, too." He opened my car door and I got in.

"Be safe." He said, closing the door. I put my seat belt on and started the car. He stood there until I was out of sight. I parked outside my house and sighed.

Here we go.

"You're grounded." My mom said, pacing in front of the couch where I was sitting. "For two weeks. You will only go out for school, cheer practice, ball games, and to see your sister with us. Your father will drop you off and pick you up. And don't want you to see that boy."

"His name is Damon." I snapped, not caring if it got me into anymore trouble. "And I have to him, we have classes together."

"Three weeks, then."

"Fine." I said. "Can I go now?"

"Give me your phone." I sighed and handed it to her. "Now?"

"Go." I ran upstairs and threw myself on my bed, angry tears welling up up, but I refused to let them fall. A minute later I heard my parents yelling at each other, then a door slammed. I was used to that.

I got up and changed into my pajamas. Keeping Damon's hoodie on I curled up another my my bedspread and used his scent to keep my tears at bay.

* * *

**LPOV**

I smiled at Stefan as the credits of the movie we were watching rolled.

"I'm glad we stayed in." I said, leaning into him.

"Why? So, you could find out how bad of a cook I am." He asked.

"No, so I could have you to myself." I said.

"You know the night's not over yet. Wait here, I have a surprise." He got up and disappeared up the stairs. I sat there, hoping Damon wasn't upset that we'd left Abby with him for so long.

"Okay," Stefan said, when he came back. "Close your eyes." I did and he led me up the stairs, slowly. I heard a door close and he took a deep breath.

"You can open them." I did, and gasped. He'd lit white candles of various sizes all around the room, rose petals covered the floor and bed and, soft music was playing from his stereo.

"Stefan..." I whispered, turning to face him.

"I didn't know exactly what to do, so I stole from chessey movies and books." His eyes softened greatly. "I want our first time to be perfect." He said, taking my hands in his. "Both of ours. Do you like it?" I nodded, unable to speak. He smiled and kissed me. I kissed him back and he lead me to the bed.

_No, no, no!_ My mind screamed. I had to be honest with him.

"Stefan," I said, when his lips moved to neck. "Stefan, wait."

"Why? What's wrong?" I pulled away from him and pulled my knees to my chest.

"I have tell you something." I said. "And you're not going to like it."

"You can tell me anything." He said, brushing my hair away from my face. I bit my lip.

"Two years ago I was dating this guy with...experience."

"And?"

"And I was scared that if I didn't know what I was doing, he'd break up with me...So, I convinced a really close friend to help me." He looked away from me.

"Help you with what, Lexi?"

"I'm not a virgin, Stefan." I whispered, tears running down my face. "It was before I even knew you. If I had known that we-"

"Who?" He whispered.

"Stefan, it didn't mean-"

"Who!" He yelled, standing up. I flinched and whispered _his_ name.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" I shook my head.

"Like I said, though, it was years ago and it meant nothing! Absolutely nothing. I don't have any romantic feelings for him, and I never have."

"That's the problem, Lexi! It meant nothing to you, but it means a lot now!"

"Stefan, _please_." I whispered. He sighed.

"You should go back to your room. I have to clean up and go get Abby."

"I can get her."

"No, I need to talk to Damon." He said. "Please, leave." I nodded and got up.

"I love you, Stefan. You're the only man I've ever loved. And he's the only one I've physically been with. Please understand that."

"Just go, Lexi." He said, not facing me. I nodded and closed his door behind me. I walked to my room and laid down on the bed, pulling my favorite stuffed animal to my chest, then let all my tears fall.


	16. Chapter 16

**SPOV**

I drove to Damon's, anger bubbling up in me. By the time I banged on the door, I was ready to kill.

"'Bout time," Damon said, answering the door. "I've been waiting forever."

"Come out here for a second, I need to talk to you about something and I don't want your dad to hear."

"Alright." He came out and closed the door. "What's up?" I punched him as hard as I could. He stumbled a little, and when he looked up his nose was bleeding.

"What the hell?" I shoved him back and he fell into the grass.

"How could you!" I said, as he stood up and wiped the blood off his face. It was replaced by more, but he didn't care.

"How could I what?" I grabbed him and punched again.

"You know what!" He shoved me away and punched back. I staggered and fell.

"What's your problem!" He yelled.

"Hey!" His dad said, coming out. "What's going on?"

"Ask him!" Damon said, wiping at the blood again. His dad helped me up, and lunged for him.

"No!" Giuseppe stopped me, and I was shocked by his strength. "What's going on?"

"He slept with my girlfriend!" I yelled. Damon's eyes widened.

"She told you?" He whispered. I nodded.

"Stef, that was-"

"Two years ago, I know." I got free of Giuseppe and looked into Damon's eyes. "How could you introduce me to her, let me fall in love with her, without telling me?"

"Because it didn't mean anything."

"It means everything! You stole her virginity!"

"I didn't steal anything!" He said. "She-"

"You stole it either way! She didn't love you and you didn't love her!"

"At least it was me, instead of that jerk she was dating. Go home. I'm not putting Abby in a car with you. I'll drop her off tomorrow."

"Damon!" I yelled as started to walk away. He turned and looked at me. "Stay away from me and Lexi!"

"Whatever." He walked inside and slammed the door. I felt Giuseppe's hand on my shoulder, but shook it off.

"I hate him." I said. "I really do."

"Stefan," He started, then sighed. "I think we both know he didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sure if he'd known what was going to happen-"

"He still did it." I said. "I'm going home." He started to saying something else, but I walked away, ignoring everything around me

* * *

**GPOV**

I watched my sister's son walk away and looked toward the house where my own son was waiting. Sighing I yelled for Stefan to be careful and went into the house.

"Damon!" I yelled, no response. "Where are you?" He wasn't on the first floor, so I checked Abby's room, hoping the boys hadn't woken her. She was sleeping peacefully. I walked down the hall to Damon's room and knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?"

"No!" His voice was thick, so I went in anyway.

"Damon?"

"Get out!" The bathroom door shut, but I pushed it open before he could lock it. Blood was on the sink and blade was laying on the floor.

"Damon..."

"Don't!" I sighed and got disinfectant from his medicine cabinet and bandages.

"Let me see." He shook his head.

"I've got it." When he saw I wasn't backing down, he held his arm out to me. Three cuts, each one deeper than the one before went up his forearm. All surrounded by scars. He didn't flinch when the disinfectant hit the cuts, when I looked up tears were on his face.

"He hates me." He whispered. "My only friend hates me."

"No, he doesn't. He's just mad." I wrapped the bandage around his arm. "Why do you do it?"

"When I hurt on the inside, this brings the hurt outside. I can control it."

"You know it's not safe though? That you could..." He sighed and looked at the blood staining the bandage.

"I never really cared if I died or not before. I tried once, a year ago, and I was going to try again until I met Elena. Then everything just...fell into place."

"I know what you mean. When I met your mother-" I stopped, not wanting to hurt him.

"I wanna know." He said, urging me on. I nodded.

"Come on. Let's have a drink and talk." He cleaned up his mess quickly and followed me to my study.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Three weeks?" Damon asked as we walked to History. I nodded.

"No phone, no friends, no boyfriend. School, practice, home." He put his arm around my shoulders.

"We'll manage." He promised, and kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Class went by quickly for some reason. The whole day flew by in a depressing blur. At lunch, when we had time alone, Damon told me about he and Stefan's fight, showed me the cuts and promised that he'd never do it again, and told me about his mother. I sighed as Damon walked me to my dad's car.

"See you tomorrow." I said. He kissed me quickly, trying not to make my dad uncomfortable. I pulled him back.

"No dates for three weeks and you're only giving me a peck?"

"Your dad's-"

"I don't care." I kissed him again. It was a long, deep kiss that made me feel light-headed.

"Leave your window unlocked tonight." He whispered. I nodded. He let me go and I got in the car. My dad looked at me, angry.

"Never do that again!" He said. I rolled my eyes.

"You used to be a good girl, Elena. You would never have walked out on your mother like that before you started seeing that boy. I never should have let you go to that detention."

"For the millionth time, his name is Damon!" I yelled at him. "And he has nothing to do with this at all." He sighed.

"We're going out to diner tonight. Your mother and I have something to tell you and your sister." I nodded, still angry at him. "You'll need to start getting ready when we get home. Something nice."

"Okay." The rest of the drive was quiet, no radio, no talking. I got out of the car at home and took a shower. I didn't want to go to diner, I didn't want to see Katherine, all I wanted was to curl up in bed and wait for Damon. But I got dressed anyway, straightened my hair and put on my make-up.

The drive to the restaurant was far to quiet. Katherine was waiting when we got there.

"What do you think they have to tell us?" She whispered. I shrugged. "Maybe Mom's having another a baby."

"I doubt it." I whispered. We ordered and watched our parents drink their wine nervously. During diner they asked Kat about school, boys, parties, and other things. Then when dessert came, Dad sighed.

"Girls...you know your mother and I have been going through a hard time..." He started.

"We're getting a divorce." Mom said, finishing for him. "I'm moving to North Carolina to stay with my mother and you're coming with me." She said, looking at me. I shook my head.

"I can't-"

"You are. I don't care about your friends or your boyfriend. You're going whether you like it or not." Katherine had a shocked expression on her face. I stood and ran out into the cold, hearing them yell behind me. I shoved trough people, tears running down my face, until I found the closest pay phone.

"Please." I whispered, digging for quarters. "Please." I finally found the amount I needed and dialed Damon's cell.

"Hello?"

"Damon..." I whispered.

"Elena? Are you okay?"

"I need you to come and get me. I'm in a phone booth in town somewhere. Hurry, please."

"I'll find you. Don't move."

"Okay." I hung up and sunk to the floor, not caring if my dress got dirty, and sobbed. Twenty minutes later Damon's Camero pulled up. He got out and walked over to me. He didn't ask questions about my tears, just picked me up and carried me to his car.

"Where do you need to go?"

"Anywhere but home." I managed before I leaned against him. He drove to his house, not knowing what to do with me. He carried me up to his room and sighed.

"Do you need a shower?" I did but I didn't feel like it, so I shook my head. "Are you staying the night?" I nodded.

"I'll get you something to change into then." He laid me on his bed and went to his closet. He came back holding a white shirt and a pair boxers.

"I've never worn these, promise." He said. "Sorry, I don't have anything else"

"It's okay." I whispered. "Unzip this?" He did.

"Do you want me to leave?" I shook my head. He tried not to look when I pulled my dress off and changed into his clothes.

"I'm done." I said. He turned and picked me up again, then tucked me in. "You're not going to ask what's wrong?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I whispered. He kissed my forehead, then turned for the door.

"Don't go!" I said, sitting up. "Please." He studied my face and nodded. He undressed down to his boxers and laid down with me.

"I promise," He whispered in my ear, "whatever it is, nothing will come between us. I'm not letting you go until you tell me to." Fresh tears ran from my eyes and buried my face into his bare chest.

"Never." I whispered. "Never let me go." He held me as I cried, not caring that makeup was ruining his white sheets."

* * *

**GPOV**

I poured a drink, still wondering about the phone call that Damon received during diner that made him run out. I knew it was Elena, and that he picked her up, but that's all. I ran possible scenarios over in my head until there was a knock on the door. I finished the drink and went to answer it.

The woman behind it was beautiful. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back and her blue eyes shined in the moon light. She held a small child by the hand at her side.

"Sara." I said, shocked.

"Hello, Giuseppe."

* * *

**3 reviews til next chapter?**


	17. Chapter 17

**GPOV**  
"Are you going to invite us in?" Sara asked, her eyes dancing with amusement at my shock.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, finding my voice.

"Mommy, I'm cold." The child said. I sighed.

"Come in." I said, moving out the way. I led them to the den so they could warm up.

"Why, Sara?"

"I wanted to see my son." She answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"After eighteen years? After you left without a word after he was born? I don't think so."

"I have just as much right to see him as you do. I gave birth to him."

"And you abandoned him!" I shouted, then sighed, remembering all that I'd put him through. "Now, I wasn't the greatest parent. Far from it. But I came back. He let me back in, so it's up to him. If he says he wants to see you, fine."

"And if he doesn't?"

"You'll leave, and never bother him again." She was about to say something when her daughter ran back in.

"Mommy, I found the room I want!" She said. "But there are people in it."

"Honey, for the tenth time," Sara said, playfully, "One is a person."

"I know! There's a boy and a girl." Sara looked at me.

"You let his girlfriends sleep over?" I shook my head.

"I had no idea she was here." I said, honestly.

"She was crying." The girl said, then yawned. Sara looked at me.

"I just want to meet him, Giuseppe." She said. "That's all. Do you have a room we can use?" I nodded and led her to one. "Thank you." She said, then closed the door.

I went to me own room and got ready for bed, hoping this wouldn't end badly.

* * *

**DPOV**

I woke up the next morning, feeling Elena's body next to mine. I almost pinched myself to make sure it was all real. Her scent enveloped me, her long, smooth legs wrapped around mine, her head on my chest. I sighed, happier than I'd ever been.

I was halfway asleep again when someone shook my shoulder. Elena groaned softly and rolled away from me, taking most of the blankets with her. I groaned, at losing her warmth, trying to pull her back.

"Hey!" Someone said, shaking me again. I sat up then, remembering how unclothed I was, covered myself quickly, and looked at a little girl with...my eyes?

"Guess what?" She said, excited.

"What?" I asked, focusing on her as best I could with her bouncing around..

"It snowed!" She cried, happily. "Can we play later?"

"Uh...sure. Can I get ready first?"

"Okay!" She smiled at me, then ran from the room. I looked at Elena and sighed softly. I kissed her forehead and got up, heading straight to the shower. Cold water somewhat soothed me enough to be presentable if the kid came back or Elena woke up. I got out and dried off, feeling better.

"Hey, you're awake." I said, finding Elena sitting up in bed. She was trying to flatten her hair but only made it more disheveled.

"Yeah." She saw her reflection in my mirror and groaned. "I look terrible."

"You look beautiful."

"Bull. I have make-up running down my face, my hairs all knotted up..." I went to her side and kissed her.

"I think you look perfect." She smiled and kissed me again. I wrapped my arms around her and she breathed me in.

"My mom wants to move me to North Carolina." She whispered after a moment.

"What?"

"My parents are getting a divorce and she wants to take me with her. But I can't just...You're here..."

"I understand." I said. "Hey, winter break starts next week, right?" She nodded. "We have a place near the lake, in the woods, secluded...Let me take you away for a while." She smiled and looked out the window.

"It snowed!" She cried, jumping out of bed. A thick blanket of snow covered the yard, turning it completely white.

"Yeah." I said thinking of the little girl who woke me up. Who was she and why did she have my eyes? I shook the thought out of my mind and wrapped my arms around Elena's waist.

"Are you hungry?" She nodded, then bit her lip.

"I might want some more presentable clothes, though..." I sighed.

"I hate having to say this...I might have something of your sister's somewhere."

"Oh." She lowered her eyes. "That could work." I pulled her chin up gently to look into her eyes.

"I was wrong before, you know. I never loved Katherine. The way I feel about you...I've never felt it before." I said. "And honestly...It scares me." She put her hand on my cheek.

"I'm scared, too." She said. "We'll figure it out. Maybe some time alone is what we need."

"Let's find you something to wear. If I have to I can call Vicki and she can drop you something off...Do you think your parents will work today?" She looked out the window again and nodded.

"I'll drive you to your house and you can get some clothes."

"Damon I can't stay here..."

"Why?"

"You're dad's here." She said, like it was completely obvious.

"It's not like we're doing anything wrong, Elena. You're sleeping in my bed because you can't go to your own. He'll understand." She bit her lip.

"You're sure?"

"Positive." I pointed to a drawer. "I think that's where she put them." I said. Elena nodded. I was right, she found a pair of black skinny jeans and a red tee shirt. She threw them on the bed and turned to face me.

"Can you..." I nodded, and found something to change into, then went into the bathroom to change. I came back and smiled at her uncomfortable face.

"Too tight?" She nodded. I took her hand and lead her downstairs. "What do you want to eat?"

"Hmm...Eggs and bacon and toast and orange juice." I went to the fridge and and started cooking. I put a plate in front of Elena and waited for her reaction. She moaned happily after the first bite.

"Can you do everything?" She asked. I shrugged.

"Finish up. We've got stuff to do and I don't know how bad the roads are." She ate while I had coffee and we were ready to go.

"Let's take the Mustang." She said, as I reached for my Camaro keys. "My parents know your Camaro, a neighbor could tell them they saw your car and this will be over." I nodded and lead her to the garage.

* * *

**EPOV**

"You can wait here." I said, when Damon stopped the car out my house. "I shouldn't take too long."

"Okay." I got out the car and ran to the door. I listened for a second to be sure no one was there and went inside. I ran up to room and grabbed a duffel bag and my cheer bag. I got my uniform and stuff together first and dropped the bag on the floor.

I gathered my favorite jeans and t-shirts and packed them quickly. I went to my underwear drawer for a bra, but found the things Lexi and I got on top of everything. I sighed and packed them, a went into my bathroom to get my makeup bag, toothbrush, straightener, then - after a mental debate- a box of tampons. I put them in the bag, made sure I had everything I need and ran back to the car.

"You're sure about this?" Damon asked. I nodded.

"I can't stay here. Not now." He put his arm around me as he drove away. I didn't realize I was crying until he wiped the tears off my face at a red light.

"It'll be okay." He promised, when I started sobbing again. "I'm not going anywhere."

I had calmed down by the time we'd gotten back to his house, and he carried my bags inside. He cleared a spot in his closet for my stuff, then laid on the bed and waited.

"I thought you hated cheer leading." He said, as I hung up my uniform.

"I do. But, I don't want to quit...Well, I do, but I can't." I said, running fingers across the red fabric. "I can't lose all of myself."

I finished hanging everything up, put my jeans in drawer Damon cleaned out, then went to the bed and crawled on top of him.

"I love you." I said, kissing his neck, gently.

"I love you, too." He said, holding me closer. I smiled, thinking that this time next week we'd be alone at the lake house he'd told me about.

"Hey!" A voice said at the door. We both sat up and stared at a little girl in his doorway, dressed up to play in the snow. "You said we'd play!"

"Callie!" A woman said, running into the room behind her.

"He said we'd play!" She cried, pointing at Damon. He was staring at the woman, shaking his head.

"No." He whispered. "It can't be." The woman smiled sadly at him.

"Hello, Damon." She softly.

"You know her?" I asked. Damon shook his head and closed his eyes.

"I've really never seen before." He said. "Elena, this is my mother."

* * *

**Four reviews until the next chapter. **


	18. Chapter 18

**EPOV**

"Your mother?" I whispered, shocked. He nodded.

"Damon," She said, coming closer. "Please, just let me explain-" He stood up.

"I can't deal with this right now." He walked out of the room. A minute later a door slammed. His mother looked at me.

"I...should go make sure he's okay." I said, standing.

"This is a family matter." She snapped, glaring daggers at me.

"Then why are you here?" I said, then left, shocked at my own words. I didn't know this woman or her I knew was that she abandoned him, and that made me angry. I stopped on the stairs realizing that I had no idea where he went. This house had to have at least fifty rooms and Damon could have disappeared into any of them.

"He's in the garage." A woman said, at the base of the stairs. "You must be Elena." I nodded.

"Call me Nana." She said. "Right through that door."

"Thank you." I smiled. She walked into the kitchen I went to garage.

Damon was bent over a car, muttering. A minute later there was a clanging noise.

"Damn it!" He shouted, slamming the hood down.

"Hey." I placed my hand on his back. He was trembling slightly. "It's okay, Damon."

"Nothing's okay!" He yelled, causing me to flinch back. "Everything's wrong! J's dead and my dad's back and now she's here. I can't...process all this right now!"

"You don't have to. I'll help you, Damon. I'll be beside you, every step of the way." He turned to me and rested his head on my shoulder.

"I feel like I'm in a million pieces, 'Lena." He whispered. I held him, running my fingers through his hair.

"I'll fix you" I whispered. "Trust me, I will." I felt his shoulders shake violently as he let out tears he'd been holding for God knows how long. I sunk to the floor making it easier to wrap my arms around him.

"It'll be okay." I said. "You'll be okay."

A while later he was finished crying, just resting in my arms.

"I don't want her here." He said. "I've already changed too much."

"What do you mean?"

"First off, my dad. I swore I'd kill him for what he did to me, now were best friends? And you, you've change me the most. We used to look at your group and swear that we would never be with any of you. Now look at me. I'm in love with you, I haven't smoked in weeks, my grades are higher than they were, and I find myself wanting to be better."

"That's good." He sat up.

"Let's go." He said. "To the lake house, right now. We won't tell anyone, no one will find us."

"You know we can't do that." I sighed. "You need to work this out, honey." He nodded.

"Can we play now?" The little girl asked at the door. Damon looked at her, still seeming stunned.

"I have a sister, Elena." He whispered. "I've always wanted a sister." He got up and went over to her.

"I'm Damon." He said, sinking down to her level.

"I know, you're my big brother ." She said. "I'm Callie."

"Hi, Callie. That's Elena." She looked at me, then at him.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She whispered, loudly. Damon nodded. "She's pretty."

"I know. It's to dark to play outside now. But we'll go out tomorrow, okay?" She nodded. Chester barked from his little bed in the corner, upset that we woke him.

"A puppy!" She cried, happily, running to him. "He's so pretty."

"His name's Chester." Damon said. "Be careful, he gets irritable when he's tired." But he was proved wrong when the dog licked Callie's hand, tiredly. She laughed and petted him. He huffed and laid his down, closing his eyes again.

"Come on, Callie, let's let him sleep." Damon said. "We can do something else. Watch a movie?"

"Can we watch Never Say Never?" She asked.

"Sure, go get it." She ran up the stairs. "Elena, what's Never Say Never?"

"The Justin Beiber movie." I laughed at his horrified.

"You're kidding." I shook my head and he groaned. He draped his arm over my shoulder and we walked inside.

* * *

**DPOV**

"She's cute when she's asleep." Elena said, stroking Callie's dark hair. She was curled up in my lap, excited to be with her brother.

"Yeah."I agreed. "I'm going to take her up. See you in a minute." She nodded. I stood up and shifted Callie so her head was on my shoulder. I carried her upstairs, smiling whenever she made little noises. I looked at the doors around me, trying to figure out where she was staying.

"Were in here." Sara said from behind me. I followed her inside. "Just put her down, I want to change her out those clothes."

"Okay." I put her down on the bed, but she clung to my neck.

"I love you, Dami." She said, kissing my cheek. I kissed her forehead.

"I love you, too." I said, knowing it was true. She smiled, and curled up into a little ball. I left the room without looking at Sara.

"Damon." She said, following me out. "Will you please talk to me?"

"No, I won't. You made the choice to leave eighteen years ago, you don't get the choice to come back now." I said. "I want to be in Callie's life. I'll see you when I have to, but no other time outside of that."

"Well then, let's talk about the _girl_ you have in your room." More anger flared up inside me at what she was hinting at.

"You don't know the situation. And you don't know Elena. If I hear you say one bad word about her, it won't end well. Understand?" She nodded, seeming shocked. I walked to my room and collapsed into bed next to Elena.

"Will you just kill me now?" I groaned into a pillow. She laughed lightly.

"No, I won't." She said. She gently ran her fingers through my hair and I began relax.

"That feels nice." I murmured. I felt her shift and a minute later her legs were on either side of me and was rubbing my shoulders. I groaned when she hit a tense spot.

"You know," She whispered in my ear, "this would work a lot better without your shirt on." I got it off as quickly as I could and laid back down. Her fingers went to work on my shoulders again, quickly undoing any knots they found. She worked down my back until I was boneless and in complete bliss beneath her.

"That felt amazing." I said, not wanting to move.

"I learned it cheer camp." I moaned playfully.

"I can see that, you girls straddling each other, rubbing-" She slapped me upside the head.

"When our muscles cramped, you weirdo!" She said. I laughed.

"I was kidding." I sat up and kissed her. "Thank you, Elena." She leaned into me and sighed.

"I'm going to get ready for bed." She said, getting up. I waited until she was in the bathroom to take my pants off and get under the blanket. She walked back into the room, back in my t-shirt and boxers.

"I thought you got your pajamas when we went to your house."

"I did...but I like yours better." She crawled into bed and laid her head on my chest. "Good night, Damon."

"Good night." I kissed her hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I closed my eyes and was asleep in an instant.

* * *

**SaraPOV**

I watched Callie sleep for a moment before slipping out the room and up to the third floor to Damon's room. I heard the words exchanged and thought back to my younger years. Giuseppe looked almost exactly like Damon when he was his age. Every girl wanted him, but I had him.

Then I got pregnant.

I hated to leave Damon after he was born, but I had no choice. I had plans for my future that I wasn't letting go of, no matter what the cost. Besides, Giuseppe's family could take care of Damon better than I could have.

I took a deep breath a pushed his door open gently. They were asleep, her head head on his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her. The picture of innocence.

I only hoped they could stay that way.

* * *

**5 reviews for an update? And if you want more about the other characters, I need some ideas, please?**


	19. Chapter 19

**DPOV**  
I woke up very early the next morning, before the sun rose, and couldn't find sleep again. I raised myself up on my elbow and watched Elena, instead. I studied her peaceful face, a light smile on her lips. I hoped it was dreams about me that put that smile there. I watched her chest rise and fall a she breathed.

"Stop staring at me." She murmured. "It's creepy."

"You're supposed to be asleep." I said, brushing her hair away from her face. "Besides I thought girls like being watched since the whole Twilight thing."

"Not me." She opened her eyes and looked at me. "It's creepy." She said again. I lightly touched the dark circles under her eyes.

"Go back to sleep." I said, softly. She leaned over and kissed me, then sat up.

"Nope. I have to get ready. Christmas shopping with Caroline and Bonnie." I frowned.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? What if your parents-" She put her finger to my lips.

"I'm going to be with Caroline and Bonnie, and my parents are at work, anyway. But, if something happens I'll call you." She kissed me again, lingering a little longer. "You should go back to sleep, though. In a few hours you have to play with Callie, and I think you'll want your rest."

"Can't sleep." I muttered. "I've got too much on my mind." She sighed, then smiled.

"Just think about break, honey. We'll only have each other to think about." I smiled.

"Yeah, I can't wait." She stroked my cheek and got up.

"I'll be back later...Do you mind if I use one of your cars?" I turned on a lamp and opened my side table drawer. I grabbed a set of keys and handed them to her.

"Black mustang." I said.

"Thank you." I turned the lamp off and she went to bathroom. A second later she opened the door.

"Do you have any disposable razors?"

"There should be some in one of the drawers." A few minutes later I heard the shower turn on. I forced myself not to get up and join her. I wouldn't ruin this when everything was so perfect. I closed my eyes, but all could see was her body behind my eyelids. I groaned softly.

She was killing me and she didn't even know it.

* * *

**EPOV**  
I let the water run down my back, trying to ease my nerves for what I was about to do. I hated lying to Damon, but I didn't want him to know what I was doing. He'd just try to talk me out of it, and I wasn't going to let him.

I shaved my legs and washed hair quickly, then got out of the shower. I wrapped a towel around me and dried my hair, then brushed and straightened it. I got dressed and went back into the bedroom.

"Have fun." Damon said. I kissed him goodbye, loving the taste of him on my lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I said. "I'll see you later."

I left the room before he thought to ask why I was leaving so early. I had a semi-long drive to make, and I didn't want him to slow me down. When I was safely outside, my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered, throwing purse into the Mustang, and getting in.

"Have you chickened out yet?" Katherine asked.

"I'm on my way right now." I said, starting the car, and opening the garage door like I saw Damon do.

"Are you sure, Elena?" She asked, almost like she hoped I wasn't.

"I'm not changing my mind." I said. "We have to go shopping, too."

"That was your cover story?" She asked. I could almost hear her rolling her eyes.

"Yes. I don't want to talk and drive, Katherine, so if you have something to say, please say it now."

"I'll see you soon." She hung up and I put my phone in bag. I made it to her dorm in a little under an hour, she was waiting outside. She got in the car and buckled up.

"I can't believe we're doing this." She muttered.

"You didn't have to agree." I said, driving toward our destination.

"Yes, I did. Mom would flip if you went to her."

"Who took you?" I asked.

"Aunt Jenna." She said. "She wasn't okay with it, but she understood that I wanted to be safe. Elena, you're not doing this just to make Damon happy are you?" I shook my head.

"No, I want this." I said.

"He doesn't know you're with me, does he?" I shook my head.

"No. He thinks I'm with Bonnie and Caroline."

"And when he sees the birth control?"

"If he asks, I'll be honest with him. If he doesn't, he doesn't need to know." I pulled into the parking lot of the doctor's office. We went inside and Katherine filled out all of the paper work, and they sent us to a room to wait.

A doctor came in and checked me out, explained birth control to me, and wrote a prescription. We got back in the car and I looked at Katherine.

"Thank you." I said.

"Whatever."

"What happened to us, Kat? You used to not be able to get us apart."

"I went to college and you started dating my ex. That's what happened."

"You dumped him though. It's no fair for you to be mad at me." She shrugged.

"I'm selfish, Elena. I wanted him to come crawling back to me." She smirked. "I always liked having him in my bed."

"Can we not talk about that?" She laughed a little.

"Don't you want to know what to expect? What to do to make him feel good? I can help you, Elena."

"Shut up or get out." I snapped. "I don't want to hear it." We were quite for a while, until I sighed.

"His mom's back." I said. Her eyes widened. He must have told her something about his mother.

"How's he taking that?" She asked.

"You sound like you care." I warned her. She rolled her eyes.

"I did care about him, Elena. He's been through a lot, and I know that I'm part of that. He deserve what I did to him, but...I'm a bitch." She looked into my eyes. "Treat him like he deserves to be treated, 'Lena. I don't think he can handle another heartbreak."

"I will." I said. "He's taking it okay...I guess. He has a sister. He met her yesterday and he loves her already. She looks like him." She smiled.

"Good. He needed something happy." I parked in the mall parking lot and grabbed my bag.

"We have hours together. Let's make the most of it." We went inside, ready to go to every store until we were best friends again.

* * *

**DPOV**  
"Wake up!" Callie said, shaking me. "Wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!" I opened my eyes a little and looked at her.

"Why don't you go to sleep?" I asked, pulling the blankets over my head. A minute later the blankets and sheets were on the floor.

"You promised!" She said.

"We'll play. It's only nine in the morning. We have plenty of time. Come here." She crawled into bed with me and laid her head on a pillow.

"Let me rest a little bit longer, okay? I didn't sleep well last night. When I get up, We'll play until you're frozen." She laughed and nodded. When I was almost asleep she asked:

"Why do you have lines on your belly?"

"It's muscle." I said, laughing lightly when she poked my stomach.

"Do all boys have them?"

"Some. Girls like them."

"I don't. It looks weird." She said. I smiled.

"Go to sleep, Callie."

A few hours later, we were outside making snow angels at her request. After she made three of those she got bored.

"Can we build a snowman?"

"Whatever you want." I built the snowman, letting her help me roll the body. I picked her up and let her draw a face on the head.

"He needs a real face. And arms." She said as I held her and she looked at him. She looked at me, expectantly. "I live in California, we don't get snow. I've only seen snowmen on TV."

"Okay, let's find him a face." We went inside and found black buttons for its eyes and mouth. Nana gave Callie a carrot for his nose and we back outside and she put the buttons where she wanted them.

"Where's Elena?" She asked, putting his nose on him.

"She went shopping with her friends." I said, putting her down.

"Do you miss her?"

"I guess. She'll be back tonight." She looked up at me sadly.

"That's what Mommy said when Daddy left." She said. I frowned. "Are you gonna leave me?" I knelt down in front of her.

"I will never leave you." I promised. "I just found you." She hugged me.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you, too. Come on, you're freezing's." We went inside and I made her hot chocolate.

"Mommy doesn't let me have chocolate." She said.

"We'll, I'm your big brother. You get to break the rules with me." She took a sip and then drank the chocolate greedily.

"Can I have more?" I laughed and nodded. We spent the afternoon drinking hot chocolate, eating cookies and other food her mother wouldn't let her eat and talking. Later that night Elena still hadn't come in, but refused to worry. While Callie was taking her bath my dad came into my room to talk to me.

"Here are the keys." He said, handing the keys to the lake house over.

"Thanks."

"You're not going to...I mean, you'll be..."

"You don't have to worry about that, Dad." I said. He reached into his pocket and took an old ring with a blue stone set in it.

"It was your great grandmothers, and your grandmothers. I was going to give it to your mother but... I want you to take it."

"I couldn't." He put it in my hand and closed my fist around it.

"I see the way you look at Elena. You love her, and she loves you. Give it to her," I nodded.

"Okay."

"Dami!" Callie said from my doorway. "Will you read to me?"

"Sure." My dad left and I got my glasses from my drawer

"You wear those?" Callie asked, climbing onto my bed. She laid her head against my shoulder to see the pictures.

"Only when I read... Once upon a time," I started. "In a kingdom far, far away there lived a king and queen, preparing for the birth of their first daughter..." Halfway through the story, my eyes started to close. Callie was already softly snoring next to me. I let the book fall against my chest and fell asleep, too.

* * *

**EPOV**  
I carried all my bags up the stairs, feeling better than I had in a long time. I had my sister back and I had Damon. The light in his room was on, so I assumed he'd waited up or me.

"Hi honey!" I said, coming in. Then instantly covered my mouth like I take the loud words back.

Damon and Callie were already asleep, luckily my loud mouth hadn't woken them. I hid my bags where Damon wouldn't look, gently took the story book he was holding from his hands.

"No," He said, still half asleep. "Have to finish."

"You can finish tomorrow." I said, and gently took the glasses off his face. I had no idea he even wore glasses.

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes." He smiled.

"That's...that's good." A minute later he was snoring. I went to the bathroom and changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth and joined them. Damon's body turned toward mine, reflexively, and Callie was stuck between us.

I fell asleep smiling.

* * *

**Yeah, I gave Damon glasses. I think he'd be hot in them, so... 3 reviews until the next chapter?**


	20. Chapter 20

**DPOV**  
"You told me you wouldn't leave!" Callie whined as she watched me pack for me and Elena's trip.

"I promised Elena this trip. We'll be back for Christmas."

"Promise?"

"Promise." I said. I kissed her forehead. "Now, go on. I've got to finish packing"

"Okay, but come and see me before you leave?" I nodded.

"I couldn't leave with my goodbye kiss, could I?" She made a face.

"I won't kiss you. You're a boy and you have cooties."

"I'm your brother. You can't get my cooties. Now go watch TV." She left the room and finished packing.

"Ready?" Elena asked, at the doorway. She'd woken up early and packed, leaving three bags by the door.

"I still don't know why you woke up so early to pack."

"I couldn't sleep." She said, coming into the room. She stood on her tip toes and whispered in my ear. "And I have some surprises for you."

"Really?" I whispered, grabbing her waist and pulling her to me. She nodded. "When can see them?"

"When we get there, if you behave." I kissed her.

"We have to go." I sighed. "I don't want to run into Sara on the way out." Elena nodded and I picked up our bags. I followed her down to the garage and put everything in the Camaro. We back in to say goodbye to Callie and Nana.

"Be safe." Nana said, hugging me. I caught the double meaning in her words and rolled my eyes.

"I always am. We'll be back soon." I picked Callie up, and she giggled.

"I'll miss you Dami." She said, hugging so tight I could hardly breathe.

"I'll miss you, too. Make sure eat enough cookies for me." She laughed and nodded. I kissed her hair and put her down. She hugged Elena, then went back to her TV shows. I looked at Nana.

"Make her plenty of hot chocolate." I said. "And cookies, and anything else Sara doesn't want her to have." She nodded.

"Alright. Now go, so you can get back." I kissed her cheek and led Elena out.

"We're finally alone." She said when we were on the road.

"Finally." I agreed, leaning over a kissing her quickly. She pushed me away.

"Drive. We'll make out when we get there."

"Promise?" She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. "I'm kidding, Elena." I said, afraid I'd messed up already. She sighed and intertwined my hand with hers.

"I know you are. Yes, I promise." I squeezed her hand. "Can we listen to some of the CDs I bought yesterday?"

"As long as it's not Justin Beiber." She laughed and put in the new Maroon 5 CD. She sang along to what she knew, and tried to memorize what she didn't. She didn't look at me when she sang, even though I loved her voice. When The CD ejected she put in another.

"Framing Hanley?" I asked, recognizing the beginning of one of their songs. She nodded. We both sang along until we got to the house.  
Her eyes widened as she got out of the car. This house was bigger than the one in town, built like a large cabin, many windows let the sun in when shone and gave a view of the lake.

"It's beautiful." She said. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her toward the door. "Shouldn't you wait until the threshold? Or until we're married?"

"I couldn't help myself." I said, opening the door, going inside, and kicking closed behind us. "Here we are."

"Here we are." She said, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, her fingers tangling in my hair. I pressed my lips to hers, making my way to the couch. I sat down with her straddling my lap. We were there for a while, enjoying being alone. Her fingers undid the buttons on my shirt and I let it fall to the floor.

Slowly, she undid the top button on her own shirt. I'm not sure why I stopped her, I'd taken off her shirt off before, she'd walked around my room in her bra before, but for some reason, her doing it now felt wrong. We were in the wrong place, it was too easy.

"Damon, I want this." She whispered.

"I know. I do, too. But...Something feels wrong about this." She sighed and laid her head on my chest.

"Go get our bags." She finally said. "I'll find us something to eat."

"'Lena-"

"It's okay. Just go get them." I kissed her forehead and put my shirt back on. She went into the kitchen as went back outside.

* * *

**EPOV**  
I fought back the tears of hurt as I found something to cook for diner. What had I done wrong do make him not want me? I bit my lip as my eyes burned.

'It doesn't matter.' I told myself. 'I'll have him tonight.' I didn't want to wait anymore. I'd started the birth control a few nights ago and I wanted him as soon as possible.

I heard Damon come inside, and carry our bags upstairs. I calmed myself down, a plan forming in my head as he walked into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." I said, leaning into him. He picked me up at sat me on the counter top behind us. His lips fused to my neck, nipping and licking the skin there until he left another mark on me. I pulled his lips up and kissed him quickly, before I set to work on his neck. He gripped the counter top until his knuckles were white. I smiled, knowing I'd found a weak spot.

I pulled back and smirked at the dark mark left on his skin.

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" He breathed. I nodded, still smirking.

I had him right where I wanted him.

We ate in a comfortable silence, then cuddled up on the couch to watch some bad TV. after and hour, I kissed his cheek gently and went upstairs to get ready. I unzipped my bag and took out the tight, see through, white shirt and the short plaid skirt Katherine told me to buy. She'd explained to me what to do, and I was ready to try it. I went into the bathroom to get ready, excitement getting me hyped up more than I already was.

* * *

**DPOV**  
I laid on the bed, waiting for Elena to get out the bathroom. I sighed and got my book, ready to wait for a while, thinking she was taking a bath.

A few minutes later she opened the door and cleared her throat. I looked up and had to do a double take. She was wearing a school girl outfit (Something no girl, not even her sister, had tried to do with me). She'd pulled her hair up in a pony tail and she had a sucker hanging out of her mouth.

"Elena, what are you doing?"

"Nothing at all, Mr. Salvatore." She said, sauntering over to me. She climbed on top of me and took the book from my hands. I let it go and she tossed it to the floor. She took the glasses off of my face and put them on the table next to us.

"Elena." I said, warningly. She put her finger to my lips.

"I want you, Damon." She said softly. I looked into her eyes for a long time, but couldn't find any trace of doubt or fear in their chocolate depths.

"You're sure? You can't take this back, Elena." I said, pulling the hair tie out of her hair, letting it flow down her back.

"I'm positive." She said, confidently. I kissed her, rolling her over to press her back into the soft mattress and showed her how much I loved her.

* * *

**Merry Christmas!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I Changed my pen name to add in love for one of my new favorite shows Sons Of Anarchy, just in case you were wondering  
**

* * *

**EPOV**  
I laid in Damon's arms that night for hours feeling him loving me, feeling happier than I had in months.

"Are you okay?" He asked, a few hours later when we were both satisfied. "I've heard the first time hurts..."

"A little sore, but I'll be okay."

"Good." He smiled.

He was laying on his stomach, the moonlight causing his skin to glow slightly. I ran my fingers gently down the deep, red scratches on his back and gasped in realization.

"Did I do this?" I whispered.

"It's okay." He murmured. "I can't even feel them." He shifted over and laid his head on my chest.

"What are you doing?" I asked, blushing at how close his face was to my breast.

"I'm listening to your heartbeat." He said. A few minutes later he was asleep. I ran my fingers through his thick hair and sighed, content. I fell asleep slowly, letting Damon's breathing be my lullaby.

I woke up the next morning, groping for his body next to me, but found only empty sheets. I sat up and looked around, but didn't see him. A moment later I smelled bacon in the kitchen. I grabbed his shirt and stood, a slight pain between my legs. I walked down to the kitchen where Damon stood, still naked.

"Is that sanitary?" I asked, he looked over his shoulder and smiled at me.

"I suppose. But I'm going to put something on, bacon grease and all." He came over and kissed me, then went up stairs. He came back a minute later witha pair of soccer shorts and a t-shirt on.

"Good morning." He said, kissing me again. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great. You wore me out." He smirked.

"Last night was amazing." He agreed. "Unexpected, but amazing." I nodded and he finished breakfast.

"I thought you'd be hungry." He said, fixing a plate. I took it and sat down, then began eating. "I was thinking that after you ate maybe I could take you to the lake?" I nodded.

"I'd like that." He smiled, then disappeared into the den. I heard the TV turn on and finished eating quickly. I put the plate in the sink then went to the den and curled up in Damon's lap. He kissed my hair.

"What are you watching?"

"I don't even know. I just turned it on."

"Oh." After a little while he turned the TV off and picked me up.

"Come on. It's pretty long walk to the lake and I want get going." He carried me upstairs and set me down. I stood awkwardly as he took his clothes off again. "What?" He asked.

"It's just...Um..." He smiled understandingly.

"It's okay. You're just not used to it yet. I'll go get dressed in the bathroom." He kissed my forehead and looked for his clothes.

"Stay." I said, hesitantly.

"Are you sure?" I unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing and let it fall before I remembered I had nothing on underneath. "I'll take that as a yes." He took his shirt and shorts off, then found his clothes. "You'll want to dress warmly. It snowed again last night."

We both got dressed and he led the way through the woods down a long path. It took a little over an hour to get there, but as Damon promised, the trip was worth it.

The lake was completely frozen, and somehow had very little snow on it. The trees surrounding it were perfectly covered, and a few deer were visible through the trees.

"It's beautiful." I said.

"It's better in the summer. You can swim and everything. It's really private."

"You must have loved it when you were a kid."

"I only came down here a few time as a kid. There's pretty bad reception all around. Dad could only take it for about a day, then we'd leave. And when he saw how much I loved it here, we stopped coming at all."

"I still don't understand how you can let him in after all of that." I whispered.

"Sometimes I don't either. But he's my family, Elena. I've always wanted a family."

"Then why won't you let your mother in?"

"That's different and you know it." I could see and almost feel his walls going back up.

"I know. And I can't say anything because I've never been where you are, but I will stand behind you no matter what you decide." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He said, then leaned down to kiss me. He licked my lips and I let his tongue slip into my mouth. I was so distracted by what he was doing to my mouth I had no idea we had ended up in the snow until he pulled my shirt up and I felt the cold on my skin.

"Damon..." I said, twisting my fingers in his hair as he kissed down my stomach. I stared up at the gray sky as he worked my jeans down my legs and his mouth continued its path down my body. More snow began to fall as he made me cry out for him.

* * *

**DPOV**

I laid my head in Elena's lap that night while she watched a movie on TV.

"I don't get it." I said, looking up at her.

"She just found out the man she slept with also slept with her mother and grandmother."

"If he's that old, then why would she want him?"

"He seduced her. Just watch the movie."

"I'd rather watch you." She smiled and kissed my forehead. The movie went off thirty minutes and she stretched a little.

"I'm going for a shower." She said.

"Can I watch." She rolled her eyes and held out her hand.

"I'd rather you join me." I smiled, and followed her upstairs.

* * *

**GPOV**

I poured myself a drink and took a seat in front of the fireplace. There was a knock on the door. I walked to the door and opened it. A young woman stood there.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"I'm Isobel Peirce." She said. "I'm here to get my daughter."

"I'm sorry?" She sighed in frustration.

"Elena?"

"She's not here." I said, honestly.

"Where's your son?"

"He went out of town for the holiday. I haven't seen Elena since he left." Isobel glared at me.

"I _know_ she was here. Tell me where she is."

"I can't."

"She's my daughter and she's a minor. I'll call the authorities." I sighed.

"They went out of town for the holiday. They'll be back next week."

"I don't think you understand, Mr. Salvatore. I'm moving away and I'm taking Elena with me."

"Does she want to go?"

"I don't care if she does or not. She is. Now, tell me where they are." I sighed again, knowing I had know choice.

"They went to our lake house outside of town. They'll be back next week, just give them some alone time." She looked at me, shocked.

"You just let them go? Alone? What if my daughter comes back pregnant?"

"My son's not that foolish. Goodnight, Mrs. Peirce." I closed the door and locked it, leaving her yelling for the directions.

* * *

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